Alan Shearer backs Diego Costa over challenge, goes behind the scenes of Match of the Day

Coral football ambassador Alan Shearer spoke exclusively to us about Chelsea striker Diego Costa’s challenge on West Ham United goalie Adrian while on a yellow card during Monday Night Football.

Shearer also had his say on being behind the scenes on Match of the Day while Gary Lineker presented the show in his underwear…

“Costa well within his rights to go for that ball”

I thought the quality of the football in the Euros was poor but the standard of refereeing was excellent, and I really hope these standards are kept up by our refs in the Premier League, in particular, the idea that every tackle does not have to be a yellow card.

On Monday night, in the Chelsea v West Ham match, I know Diego Costa was on a yellow card, but he was well within his rights to go for that ball with the goalkeeper.

The keeper was messing around, he miscontrolled it, and Costa went for the ball and it was a mistimed tackle. Not every mistimed tackle should be a yellow card. I thought he was entitled to go for the ball, it was 50/50, and I was pleased that he wasn’t shown another yellow card and sent off.

It was a tough call but I thought it was a call that the referee got right. Sometimes these things look a lot worse in slow-motion, or on a still photograph of the boot hitting the leg. The referee has to make a decision at match pace, and at match pace when I was watching it I didn’t think it was a yellow card.

Lineker “terribly nervous” about MOTD

Saturday night’s Match of the Day was great fun, as we were just taking the piss out of Gary in his pants. He was terribly nervous. He just didn’t know what reaction to expect. I mean let’s face it he is a 55-year-old so to stand up there on live television takes some balls but he did it. He kept his promise up so well done him.