Sunderland secured a 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough on Saturday, but Boro manager Michael Carrick believes a crucial refereeing error may have impacted the outcome.
In a closely contested match, the Black Cats celebrated a return to winning form with Chris Rigg’s impressive backheel goal. This victory marked Sunderland’s fifth win in six Championship games, reinforcing their promotion ambitions.
However, Carrick felt the match could have turned in favor of Middlesbrough had a key incident not gone their way.
**Carrick Claims Trai Hume Should Have Been Sent Off**
Early in the game, Trai Hume fouled Middlesbrough’s Emmanuel Latte Lath just before the 10-minute mark, leading to a significant decision for the referee. Although the challenge appeared reckless, the referee issued only a yellow card, frustrating Carrick.
“It’s 100% a red card for the challenge on Manu,” Carrick stated. “I don’t understand why it wasn’t given. They often say it’s too early to send someone off, but when does it become a red card? I find it a bit of a grey area.”
Carrick added that he hadn’t discussed the matter with the referee, only with the fourth official, and did so calmly.
While Carrick highlighted the Hume incident, it was just one moment in a 90-minute game. Sunderland effectively contained Middlesbrough, who struggled to create scoring opportunities. In contrast, the Black Cats capitalized on their chance, thanks to Rigg’s skill.
In football, teams must move on from unfavorable incidents to secure results, something Middlesbrough failed to do, allowing Sunderland to claim all three points.
