SUNDERLAND BOSS MARTIN O’Neill has defended midfielder David Meyler against accusations he play-acted to get Robert Huth sent off at the weekend.
Stoke manager Tony Pulis lashed out at the young Corkman after his side lost 1-0 to the Black Cats at the Britannia Stadium, Meyler having been sent hurtling to the ground after coming into contact with the former Chelsea and Middlesbrough defender.
O’Neill said: “First of all, I understand what Tony was saying from a general viewpoint because players do have a responsibility to try to keep fellow players on the field of play.
“I hadn’t had a chance to see the incident until Sunday. I saw it and I still have exactly the same opinion, it’s a reckless challenge.
“It’s one that the referee sees very, very quickly and his opinion of it was my opinion at the time, that it was a red card.
“Now obviously, you can see he [Huth] has attempted to pull out at the end, but that’s something the referee can’t see in a split-second, and he still catches Meyler, and Meyler on the way down has hurt himself.
“This idea that Meyler feigned an injury – I’m sorry, I know David and David is as brave as they come.
“He has had two horrendous injuries himself that he is just recovering from, so from that viewpoint I think Tony is wrong.
“His general viewpoint about players having responsibility themselves to stop play-acting, I totally agree with that point, but not in this case with David Meyler.”
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