A bizarre error meant the wrong Fulham player was substituted during their defeat at Bournemouth – with Marco Silva left raging at the officials after being told the decision cannot be reversed.
Ryan Sessegnon was taken off in the 57th minute of Bournemouth’s 1-0 win on Monday but, in remarkable scenes, it quickly emerged that the visitors actually wanted to keep him on the pitch.
An angry Silva furiously protested the decision with fourth official Tim Robinson but his appeals fell on deaf ears owing to Premier League rules.
Regulations state that a player ‘cannot return to the field of play during the same match’ after being subbed off.
Sessegnon was substituted alongside Sander Berge and Rodigo Muniz as Adama Traore, Raul Jimenez and Tom Cairney were thrown on as part of Silva’s attempt to find an equaliser.
However it became apparent that Sessegnon was the wrong player taken off. It is not clear which Fulham star Silva wanted to replace instead of the midfielder.
Marco Silva was left furious by a bizarre error during Fulham’s 1-0 defeat at Bournemouth
Ryan Sessegnon was erroneously substituted in the 57th minute of the clash on Monday night
Silva protested to the officials but his appeals fell on deaf ears owing to Premier League rules
The confusion sparked a five-minute delay and meant referee Michael Oliver had to come over to the touchline to see what had happened.
Silva was also incensed at the decision not to send Marcos Senesi off for a challenge on Joachim Andersen in the first half. Oliver gave a yellow card, a decision upheld by VAR Jarred Gillett.
Andoni Iraola immediately replaced Senesi with Illia Zabarnyi, not wanting to risk a second yellow.
Bournemouth scored inside a minute of the Premier League clash at the Vitality Stadium as Antoine Semenyo struck home after just 53 seconds.
It proved to be the winning goal as Iraola’s side climbed above Fulham into eighth in the Premier League.
Victory boosted the Cherries’ hopes of securing European football and dealt Fulham’s chances a significant blow. Both sides are on 48 points, with Bournemouth ahead on goal difference.