‘Embarrassing’ – Jamie Carragher slams West Ham star during Aston Villa clash

Jamie Carragher called West Ham star Lucas Paqueta ’embarrassing’ during the Hammers’ Premier League clash against Aston Villa.

Sunday’s fixture at Villa Park threatened to boil over as the game approached half-time as several players clashed.

Referee Peter Bankes had his work cut out as Paqueta went down following a collision with Aston Villa’s Lucas Digne on the edge of the box.

The pair were waiting for West Ham to take a free-kick when Digne appeared to throw an elbow towards Paqueta, though it’s unclear whether there was any contact.

Paqueta went down in a heap and complained to Bankes that Digne should be punished. VAR checked the incident but quickly told the referee to continue without any action.

Carragher felt Paqueta’s reaction was ’embarrassing’ and said players going down easily, trying to get opponents booked or worse, is becoming more common in the Premier League.

‘It’s one of those embarrassing ones,’ the Liverpool legend said on Sky Sports’ commentary of the game.

‘I’m just looking at a replay, he just gets a little tap. Just get up. Look at his team-mates…

‘They just come together slightly. I feel like that’s been creeping back into the game actually, players going down and trying to get players booked or sent off.

‘Players from both teams are not covering themselves in glory. We criticise officials for making mistakes but players don’t make it easy for them sometimes.’

When Sky Sports commentator Peter Drury confirmed VAR had told the referee to play on, Carragher added: ‘Thankfully.’

Aston Villa led 1-0 at the half-time interval thanks to Jacob Ramsey’s superb 6th-minute goal.

‘It was a difficult start for West Ham,’ ex-Villa defender Stephen Warnock said on BBC Radio 5 Live. ‘They could’ve found themselves a couple of goals down.

‘But then they did find themselves a goal down, it was Jacob Ramsey with a cracking finish for Aston Villa.

‘West Ham changed things tactically, started to grow into the game and dominated possession for large parts of the first-half.

‘But they still don’t have that instinct in front of goal. Emi Martinez has had nothing to save.’

Ex-England midfielder Jamie Redknapp added on Sky Sports: ‘Villa have been wasteful at times, but the play has been beautiful at times.

‘It got very bitty towards the end. With Mings coming off, that affected them and they have to change Digne to centre back.

‘He hasn’t found it easy and it might give West Ham a lifeline.’

Aston Villa were sat eighth in the Premier League ahead of the visit of West Ham, who were 14th ahead of Graham Potter’s fourth game in charge.

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