The West Ham United attacking midfielder, Lucas Paqueta, received criticism and was labelled “completely irresponsible” subsequent to his ejection from the game, which arose from a heated dispute with the match official, Darren England.
Lucas Paqueta branded irresponsible for red card incident
The inciting incident took place when Dominik Szoboszlai fell, arguably exaggerating the contact, following a challenge by Niclas Fullkrug.
Paqueta was in proximity to the occurrence, although not directly involved in the play, yet he managed to receive a caution from the referee due to his vociferous objections.
“It’s ridiculous behaviour” ❌Lucas Paquetá is SENT OFF for talking himself into a second booking. pic.twitter.com/Hgjy7kBck3November 30, 2025
Ignoring the official’s warning, Paqueta intensified his dissent, approaching the referee in close proximity and expressing his objections vehemently.
The 28-year-old was subsequently pulled away from the situation, even by Alisson, the opposing goalkeeper, a fellow Brazilian, who attempted to defuse the situation, but Paqueta continued to engage further.
Due to the forceful nature of his protest, the official had little alternative but to issue a second yellow card, leading Paqueta to leave the field while sarcastically applauding the decision and continuing to dispute with the officials.
“It’s completely irresponsible,” Don Goodman, a commentator for Sky Sports, stated. “He’s lost his composure. He has not been helpful to his team in any way.”
Receiving a second yellow card results in an automatic suspension for one match, meaning the Brazilian player will not participate in the Hammers’ match at Old Trafford on Thursday.
In FourFourTwo’s opinion, Nuno Espirito Santo is completely justified in feeling frustrated with Paqueta.
The player’s dismissal was entirely unnecessary, especially considering he was not originally involved in the incident, and now the team will have to compete against the Red Devils without the participation of one of their key players.
Furthermore, some consideration may be given to the actions, or lack thereof, of captain Jarrod Bowen and his fellow teammates, who arguably could have done more to remove Paqueta from the situation. However, ultimately, the responsibility for these events lies with the Brazilian player.
According to Transfermarkt, Paqueta has a valuation of €35m. West Ham is scheduled to play Manchester United upon the return of Premier League matches next week.
