Cundy and Cole clash live on air over Duran Aston Villa controversy – ‘Give Over’
Aston Villa were hot on the tongues of Carlton Cole and Jason Cundy on Friday night following the ongoing debate over Jhon Duran’s red card at Newcastle United.
The duo, live on talkSPORT [27 December, 23:32 via Facebook], clashed in their views over Duran’s dismissal, following an alleged first-half stamp on the back of Magpies defender Fabian Schar.
Villa later appealed the on-field decision but found their claims rejected [The Independent, 27 December], and the Colombian striker will now serve a ban into the New Year.
After some ongoing discourse between the two in which Cole – backing Duran – claimed Cundy “just doesn’t like him” and ex-referee Dermot Gallagher sided with Cundy, the latter put the question to Cole: “Let me ask, if that was your young kid on the floor…?”
Cole immediately batted back: “Oh, give over! Let’s not do all this playing on the heartstrings! [Schar] is a big man. Hold that! I’m not having it.”
Cundy then joked: “Alright, I won’t say your young kid… I’ll say your mum.”
Aston Villa without Jhon Duran for three games
Aston Villa were torn apart on Tyneside following Duran’s marching orders. The decision – to which VAR did not intervene as it remained subjective – sealed their fate for the day’s result.
What now emerges makes it even trickier for the Villans and for Unai Emery, who had recently begun to start Duran over Ollie Watkins following his consistent blistering form off the bench.
Watkins will, from a personal perspective, be looking to grab the unexpected opportunity with both hands to keep his place in the side – a place that this time last year no one would ever have believed to be under any remote threat.
Duran will now be in line to miss the final game of 2024 against Brighton [30 December], followed by the clash with Leicester City [4 January] and the FA Cup third round tie against West Ham United [10 January], all at Villa Park. He will be eligible to return away at Everton on 15 January.
This is a potential momentum killer for the 21-year-old, who has been shown enough faith by the club to hand him a new six-year deal after he was on the cusp of leaving in the summer.
Where this sole decision leaves Duran’s fate remains to be seen. For himself, for Watkins, for Emery and for the club’s attacking form at a busy period of the season.
In other Aston Villa news, a key fitness update emerges on Jacob Ramsey ahead of the Brighton clash.
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