Chris Wilder’s delusion takes nothing away from a five-star Brighton and Hove Albion show at Sheffield United

There was controversy early on when United’s on loan defender Mason Holgate was sent off for a horrific challenge on Albion’s Kaoru Mitoma.

Something I rarely write in these ‘jottings is… all credit to the VAR officials.

Referee Stuart Attwell initially only gave a yellow card for the challenge, and to give him the benefit of the doubt maybe he was unsighted or saw it from a different angle. Thankfully the VAR team watching the TV footage saw it for what it was, a disgusting, potentially career-ending foul, and an upgraded straight red rightly followed.

Various individuals from the home team can say what they want, the red card didn’t change the game, an on-form Albion were simply too good for United whether they had 10 or 11.

Having interviewed him during his time as a player at the Albion in 1999, I was especially disappointed with the attitude of Sheffield United Manager Chris Wilder. I think he was deluded in attempting to play down how bad the tackle was.

Wilder said after the game: "I'm torn because I'm a competitor but it was a very, very strong challenge and the game's moved on. Some people won't want the game to move on but challenging in that way is deemed not acceptable so we've got no excuses, nowhere to hide.”

The fact is, if someone had committed a similar offence in Wilder’s Albion debut at the Withdean in August 1999, it still would have been a red card and still could have ended a player’s career.

Long-time readers of this column know that I’m probably not listed among Ken Bates’ biggest fans, but he made a very salient point when chairman of Chelsea.

He questioned whether, If a player gets sent off in this manner and is subsequently suspended, the club should be liable to pay his wages, as he’s effectively by his actions made himself unavailable for work?

Obviously the PFA soon put that fire out, but in his mitigation Wilder to a degree has climbed down and both criticised his player in public and subsequently fined him heavily.

I wonder what kind of a column I’d be penning today if Holgate had caught Mitoma slightly differently and – potentially – ended his career?

As an Albion fan this not my first rodeo, I was there at Selhurst Park in April 1985 when another horrific challenge ended the career of the much-missed Gerry Ryan.

Thankfully Kaoru got up and terrorised the Blades in an impressive Albion display.

Back up to seventh now, speculation abounds as the Seagulls enter the EPL home straight... where will they end up?

Blue and white tinted spectacles aside, it’s time for a mature and pragmatic approach now, one game at a time – something I know RDZ has always adhered to.

I’ve previously stated that I believe that the Albion have enough in their locker, even with the obvious European distractions, to qualify automatically for Europe.

So next up it’s Everton, who on their last visit to the Amex had a freak 5-1 win last May.

Will lightning strike in the same place? We will find out on Saturday.