(Credit: Imago/Sky Sports)

Jack Heath

Sat 9 August 2025 17:48, UK

Millwall were very lucky not to go down to 10-men after Jake Cooper was involved in two altercations in the first half of their clash with Norwich.

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The former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official Keith Hackett exclusively told Football Insider that Cooper escaped a sending off after the referee failed to brandish a yellow card earlier in the first half.

Both the Lions and the Canaries went head-to-head at Carrow Road for their opening fixtures of the Championship.

A first-half stalemate was replaced by a much more vibrant second half which saw goals from Camiel Neghli and a bizarre blocked shot turn goal from Josh Sargent to bring Norwich back into the match.

Macauley Langstaff then found the breakthrough in the 83rd minute to give Millwall a much needed three points in a hardly fought affair.

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

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English centre-back Cooper was the focus of attention early in the first half when he came together with Canaries striker Sargent.

The 30-year-old was turned by the American on the right flank and Cooper grabbed his shirt, ripping it up the middle.

Avoiding any retribution he was later involved in a bust-up with Vladan Kovacevic, pushing him to the floor with hands to his face as both sets of players rushed in to split up the situation, finally picking up a booking.

Cooper got the last laugh as his side held on to victory as they battled to stay in the game for much of the match, but the Englishman was fortunate to still be on the pitch after his actions.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider the former referee Hackett said of the second clash: “The action by [Jake] Cooper is aggressive and frankly unacceptable.

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“It is a clear yellow card offence.

If the first offence had been sanctioned then the player [Cooper] is lucky to remain on the field as he would have been the recipient of two yellow cards.

“It is so important to be consistent in a game as a referee as having not sanctioned the first offence, the referee cannot suddenly brandish a red card for the second foul.”

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