Chapter 4 The Consequences of Excessive Joy

PS, the fourth update is here, begging for monthly tickets, begging for monthly tickets!

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Chen Hero was really excited. He was so busy taking off his shirt to celebrate the goal that he forgot he already had a yellow card… And his teammates and head coach were also very excited, so no one remembered this and reminded him—but to be honest, he had already taken off his shirt, so even a reminder would have been useless.

Everton's players also didn't remind the referee; they were still upset and frustrated by the late goal and couldn't be bothered to think about anything else.

But the referee wouldn't forget; he was the calmest person in the stadium at that moment.

While Liverpool's players were huddled together celebrating the goal, the referee stood on the periphery with his hands behind his back.

Then, after the Liverpool players finished celebrating and dispersed, he walked up to Chen Hero, holding a yellow card and a red card in his hand.

Chen Hero suddenly realized…

Did I take off my shirt to celebrate?

Damn it!

The referee smiled at Chen Hero and said, "Nice goal, Hero. But… rules are rules."

With that, he held up the yellow card in his hand.

Then he put down the yellow card and raised the red card!

Two yellows turned into one red!

Chen Hero was sent off with a red card!

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"Ah… let's see what's happening on the field! Hero has been sent off? Yes, he received a yellow card for taking off his shirt to celebrate, and he already had a yellow card from his earlier clash with Howard!"

"What does 'joy turns to sorrow' mean? This is what it means! Hero just scored a late winner against Everton, and then, because he exuberantly took off his shirt to celebrate, the referee showed him a second yellow card and sent him off with a red card!"

"Looking at Hero's stunned expression, although I know it's not right, why do I still want to laugh? Hahaha!"

Martin O'Neill also realized what had happened, and he immediately jumped up and roared, "This is too rigid!!"

He was cursing the referee.

The other Liverpool players who were running back also noticed this and quickly turned back to plead with the referee.

"Show some mercy, sir!"

But the referee was determined.

Chen Hero didn't go up to plead; he couldn't bring himself to do it…

In the end, he had no choice but to walk off the field.

Anyway, at this point, Liverpool was already leading Everton 3-2. As long as they defended with all their might in the remaining stoppage time and held onto their one-goal lead, there shouldn't be any problems.

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On the Chinese internet, there were mixed opinions about Chen Hero's red card for such a humorous reason.

"Ahahaha! Hero is being foolish again!" This was the schadenfreude faction. "Didn't he remember he already had a yellow card before taking off his shirt?"

"Damn! What kind of idiot referee is this? Why does he have to ruin the atmosphere by issuing a yellow card at such a happy moment! Idiot! Biased referee!" This was the angry emperor.

"Although FIFA does stipulate that a yellow card should be issued for taking off your shirt to celebrate, I think the referee should consider the situation and not necessarily issue a yellow card every time… Hero finally scored a late winner against Everton, and it was in the Merseyside derby! What a great moment that was! Couldn't he have shown some mercy? A referee who doesn't know how to be flexible isn't a good referee!" This was the professional analyst.

"Hero being sent off with a red card will definitely affect Liverpool's game against Arsenal… The next league game will be difficult for Liverpool…" This was the visionary emperor.

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In any case, Chen Hero's red card was a foregone conclusion.

After ranting and raving on the sidelines for a few moments, Martin O'Neill also calmed down quickly.

He knew that this was not the time to blindly complain about the referee. Including stoppage time, there were probably four minutes left in the game, and anything could happen in those four minutes.

He had to do something.

He then replaced Sanchez with center-back Carragher. At the same time, Carragher brought his latest instructions with him onto the field.

Full retreat. Even Suarez had to fall back to the edge of the penalty area to defend.

Liverpool completely abandoned their attack on the road and stubbornly defended their thirty-meter area.

As long as Liverpool could hold on for four minutes, they would win the two hundred and eighteenth Merseyside derby.

Chen Hero didn't really go back to the locker room; he stood at the entrance of the player tunnel, anxiously looking at the field.

Because his sending off had put Liverpool at a disadvantage, he couldn't bring himself to go to the locker room to take a shower and then wait to celebrate the victory with his teammates.

If he were on the field, Everton wouldn't even think about turning the game around. As long as he was at the front, Everton's entire defense would be unable to move.

But now the situation was different…

He was still a little nervous. It would be a shame if his efforts were ultimately wasted because of a red card.

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Fortunately, the entire Liverpool team worked together in the last four minutes, blocking Everton's fierce attacks with their bodies.

When the referee blew the whistle to end the game, the Liverpool players hugged each other excitedly, as if they had won the league title.

But in reality, it was just a Merseyside derby.

After the game, Martin O'Neill criticized the referee's actions at the press conference.

"I think the referee's second yellow card was completely unnecessary! Even if the rules stipulate that a yellow card should be given for taking off your shirt to celebrate, please look at the situation at the time, please understand the excitement of a player after scoring a late winner against the opponent. I think a verbal warning would have been enough!"

A reporter asked if the club would appeal.

Martin O'Neill nodded without hesitation. "Yes! We will definitely appeal! Because we think the referee's decision was unreasonable!"

In fact, many people felt that Martin O'Neill's reaction was a bit extreme. Although everyone thought that the referee had made a mountain out of a molehill, it was supported by the rules after all. If Martin O'Neill were to appeal, it would probably be even more of a fuss…

Such an appeal would most likely not have a good outcome.

So why would he do this?

Martin O'Neill himself also knew that this red card was not worth appealing. But he had to appeal, even knowing that he would definitely not be able to cancel the red card in the end. And it would also delay Chen Hero's game against Arsenal—the Chinese netizens who were professional analysts before obviously only cared about the Premier League and not the English League Cup—before Liverpool's next league game against Arsenal at home, there was also a League Cup game.

And the suspension penalty in English football applies to any game. That is to say, if you get a red card in the league, you will also be suspended for the next League Cup or FA Cup game, and not just the league.

This red card would suspend Chen Hero for one game, and he would miss the next League Cup game.

If Chen Hero and the club did not appeal, he would be automatically suspended. And then he would return in the league game against Arsenal at home.

But if the club appealed, then Chen Hero could play in the League Cup game, and then after the League Cup, the results of the FA Disciplinary Committee would also be down, and Chen Hero would have to be suspended, then he would be suspended for the game against Arsenal…

Which is more important, the League Cup or the league? Of course, it's the league!

If Martin O'Neill wanted to appeal, it was to sacrifice the game against Arsenal. Although without Chen Hero, Liverpool may not necessarily lose to Arsenal at home, it was also a fact that with Chen Hero, the odds of winning would be greater.

He did this because this was a good opportunity for him to express his position. Why did Dalglish make Chen Hero wholeheartedly work for him? Wasn't it because Dalglish always stood firmly by Chen Hero's side in many controversial moments. Looking back at all the news from last season, you would never find Dalglish criticizing Chen Hero or opposing Chen Hero. It was all Dalglish unconditionally supporting Chen Hero.

Martin O'Neill had been lacking such opportunities since coaching Liverpool. Now that the opportunity had finally presented itself, he would be a fool if he didn't know how to use it.

The game against Arsenal may be lost. But that's nothing. The league had only just begun for two and a half months, and Liverpool had only lost one game. Losing another game would not affect the final league ranking, and Liverpool could still afford to lose.

On the other hand, using this as a price to further improve his relationship with Chen Hero, and then having the coach and general in the same mind, would be a truly great thing for the team.

If Martin O'Neill wanted to stay at Liverpool for a few more years and produce results, then Chen Hero was definitely someone he had to have a good relationship with.

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Chen Hero also felt wronged by being sent off with a red card.

He didn't plead with the referee at the time because he couldn't bring himself to do it, but after the game, he still criticized… the rules. He didn't criticize the referee because Vera, his press officer, told him that he already had a red card, so it was best not to cause any more trouble. Criticizing the referee would definitely lead to additional penalties—after the game, Vera called Chen Hero as soon as possible, because as Chen Hero's press officer, she was very familiar with Chen Hero's temper. When he encountered such a thing, his big mouth would definitely spit out something. If she didn't call to remind him in time, Chen Hero might really say something he shouldn't say…

Vera suggested that he change his strategy and criticize the rules, so that he could win public opinion support, and the FA and the referee committee would not target him.

Chen Hero followed her advice. He also knew what impact his long-term absence would have on Liverpool…

"... FIFA's rule is a yellow card warning for taking off your shirt to celebrate. I can't understand why they do this? Did my taking off my shirt offend anyone? Or is it that my muscles make those pot-bellied bigwigs at FIFA jealous?" Chen Hero shrugged and curled his lips. "Anyway, I can't figure it out."

Chen Hero was washing away FIFA not only because he was sent off with a red card because of this shitty rule, but also because he had already formed a grudge against FIFA after that awards ceremony.

So this was accumulated hatred.

And his words also sparked a great discussion in the British and Chinese media about FIFA's rule of giving a yellow card for taking off your shirt to celebrate. Many people felt it was unreasonable and hoped that FIFA would abolish this rule.

FIFA's response to this was: "Rules are rules, and any good player must abide by the rules. I think Hero should learn to respect the rules and play the game reasonably under the rules."

Chen Hero was disdainful of FIFA's explanation: "Those who manipulate the rules are not qualified to talk to me about respecting the rules!"

Just as Chen Hero caused a war of words with FIFA, Liverpool Football Club officially made a decision to appeal Chen Hero's red card. And the FA Disciplinary Committee officially accepted it, so Chen Hero could play in the fourth round of the League Cup against Cardiff City on the 25th, but the next game against Arsenal… that would be hard to say.