What did Lewis Dunk say to Anthony Taylor?

Brighton captain Lewis Dunk is serving a two-match ban after being sent off during his side’s 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest.

This means the 32-year-old will miss the Premier League matches against Chelsea on Sunday, December 3, and at home to Brentford on Wednesday, December 6.

What did Dunk say to Taylor?

Taylor initially showed Dunk a yellow card after questioning the referee’s decision to award Forest a penalty in the 72nd minute with Brighton leading 3–1.

However, Dunk told Taylor something different and he immediately showed him the red card. Morgan Gibbs-White scored a penalty against Forest, but Brighton managed to win.

Fans shared a video on social media claiming Taylor said: “He called me a f–king king.”

However, Dunk’s exact words have not yet been confirmed, and the Brighton captain has not yet publicly commented on the disqualification. In this situation, a straight red card will only be shown for “offensive, insulting or insulting language”.

I The Premier League has been contacted for comment.

What was the reaction?

Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher told Sky News on Monday: “Without telling you what he said, I wouldn’t want to call you that on a Monday morning and if I did I wouldn’t be standing here next Monday.”

He said Dunk had “gone too far” and added: “For some reason he lost control of himself for that short period of time.”

Dunk is seen extending his hand to the referee after the commentary, then extending his hand for a handshake before Taylor sends him off.

The Brighton defender became the first player to be sent off for insulting a referee during a match since Alan Smith, who played for Newcastle in a 6-0 defeat to Manchester United in January 2008.

Red cards have been handed out for similar controversies after the final whistle, including to Lee Cattermole after the derby between Sunderland and Newcastle in March 2012 and Neal Maupay – also a Brighton player – against Wolves in May 2021.