Credit: Imago / Sky Sports Football

Harri Burton

Mon 11 August 2025 13:51, UK

Barry Bannan was unfortunate to be sent off despite making a cautionable offence as Leicester City beat Sheffield Wednesday, according to Keith Hackett.

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The former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official exclusively told Football Insider that referee Matt Donohue could have avoided sending the captain off, having booked him for dissent five minutes earlier.

Thanks to Nathaniel Chalobah, the Owls took an unlikely lead at the King Power Stadium on Sunday, 10 August, but any hope of a routine win vanished as Jannik Vestergaard netted a second-half equaliser.

Bannan then picked up two yellow cards in the space of five minutes, receiving his second booking for a strong challenge on Harry Winks, catching him high up the leg with studs in a sliding challenge.

This article contains exclusive comments from ex-PGMOL chief, FIFA official and former professional referee Keith Hackett.

With Henrik Pedersen’s side down to 10 men, Wout Faes was able to find a winner with just three minutes of normal time remaining, sending the Owls home empty-handed despite a bright start.

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Given everything going on behind the scenes at Hillsborough, a win would have been a major boost for the supporters, but even still, there might be light at the end of the tunnel.

John Textor and Keith Harris are preparing to stage a takeover bid, with the club now out of its transfer embargo, which is vital after losing a number of vital stars this summer.

The captain has decided to stay with the sinking ship, hoping to keep the Owls in the Championship, but it appears that his obvious passion was too much during the 2-1 defeat to the Foxes.

Dejphon Chansiri is attempting to sell the club.

(Credit: Imago)

“I was slightly confused because the first yellow card was given for dissent, and Barry Bannan is the captain.

Under the new law, only the captain can speak to the referee.

“The first yellow card… I don’t know what was said, but I think the referee had an option to enhance his authority by taking him to one side and giving him a public rollicking rather than going straight for the card.

The second one is a cautionable offence, and he’s on a yellow and slightly frustrated.

“The referee needed to show a little bit of tolerance.”

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