‘Not ballet’ – Noah Sadiki shares brutal swollen lip photo after Lewis Cook elbow at Stadium of Light
Sunderland midfielder Noah Sadiki showed off his swollen lip after Steve Cook’s late elbow at the Stadium of Light
Sunderland midfielder Noah Sadiki shared a striking image of his swollen, bloodied lip on social media hours after the Black Cats’ dramatic 3-2 win over Bournemouth at the Stadium of Light.
The 20-year-old posted a photo on his Instagram story showing a gash on his lower lip alongside the caption “It’s football, not ballet”, aimed at team-mate Granit Xhaka. The injury came in stoppage-time when Bournemouth defender Lewis Cook caught Sadiki in the face with a raised forearm during a chaotic finale. Referee Tim Robinson initially allowed play to continue, but a VAR review prompted a red card for Cook after replays showed the contact was forceful and reckless.
Sadiki received treatment on the pitch after full-time and appeared in discomfort as he left the field but is expected to be fit for the upcoming games against Liverpool and Manchester City. The midfielder has been one of Sunderland’s standout performers this season after arriving from Union Saint-Gilloise in the summer, impressing supporters with his energy, composure and work rate in midfield.
Cook’s dismissal capped a furious finish to a breathless Premier League clash, with Sunderland battling back from 2-0 down to claim a statement victory that lifted Régis Le Bris’ side back into the top four overnight before dropping down to sixth after Sunday’s games.
Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola voiced his anger at the officiating after watching his side surrender a two-goal lead during a chaotic afternoon at the Stadium of Light. Sunderland fought back from 2-0 down to win 3-2, with Enzo Le Fee’s penalty sparking the comeback before Bertrand Traore and substitute Brian Brobbey completed the turnaround in the second half. Iraola accepted Brobbey’s winner was a “great header” but did not hold back in his criticism of the referee, insisting the game drifted away from the officials as Sunderland’s momentum grew.
“When you are winning 2-0, and you go back home with zero points, it's hard,” he said. “We knew that it was going to be a difficult game, and, especially, I think, lately, defensive set players are costing us a lot. We've conceded two set-plays, we've conceded a penalty, and we knew it was one of their strengths. I think if you review tomorrow and when you review the game, probably we've done a lot of good things, but it hasn't been enough.
“I agree discipline has been a problem, but if you are a Bournemouth supporter or you were at the match [with] Bournemouth today, I think everyone would get a yellow card or a red card. I got a yellow card; my assistants, I think, got a yellow card. I think the players, you have to have your head level, but I think it has been so influential in the referee today. I wanted to score the 3-3, so I could even complain more about the referee. Now, when you lose, it looks like [an excuse], but I think he has absolutely lost control of the game.
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"I think, starting with the penalty, but it's not even one decision. The other day we discussed about the red card of [West Ham United's] Kilman or not, but okay it's one decision. The third goal is coming from a foul on the halfway line, there is nothing there. There is a part where we have to look at ourselves, especially defensive set plays, it's costing us a lot. Last games, a lot, I think 80% of the goals we conceded last three or four games came from set plays. But there is a part where absolutely the referee has been very influential, very, very influential."
The chaotic finish added to Bournemouth’s frustration, with three suspensions following the defeat. Steve Cook’s late red card for a forearm to the face of Noah Sadiki was one of several flashpoints that left Iraola feeling the game had spiralled.
"For us, it's very costly, because we are losing Marco Senesi, we are losing David Brooks, and we are losing Lewis Cook for the Everton game," he said. "Very important players for us. For sure, I will show them the images, but I think it's very difficult. For me, it was very difficult. I've been shown a yellow card and they could have shown me a second one also. Again, I think we are playing very well and we are controlling.
"The penalty, there is a foul five seconds before. And when you call a penalty and the VAR is checking five minutes.. I really expected to overturn it, because when you are checking five minutes, they know it's a mistake, but they don't know if it's a big enough mistake for the VAR to intervene or not. I think they are in this process, because otherwise, you don't spend five minutes checking a penalty."
Iraola insisted Bournemouth had done “a lot of good things” despite the defeat, but admitted the combination of set plays, discipline, and refereeing decisions left his side with nothing to show for a game they had led comfortably.