West Ham United midfielder and Mexico captain Edson Alvarez has been the victim of huge criticism after receiving a needless red card in the 3-0 away defeat to Nottingham Forest on Saturday. 

The first half was far from rosy for the Hammers at City Ground, despite a goal down thanks to an avoidable goal from Chris Wood, they were still more than in the game. However, that all changed in additional time in the first period, Edson Alvarez received a second yellow in the second minute of added time after a needless foul on Anthony Elanga.

Manager Julen Lopetegui was very frustrated with the defensive midfielder after  the match, the red card blew any chance they had of getting back into the match. He said: “We can and we have to do much better,” he said. “You can prepare the team but the players have to take the right decisions and we have to play with eleven men.

“It’s one of the situations we can avoid because there was no danger of this. We had a lot of players in our box. It is a big advantage for the opponent above all because there is a lot of time in front of you. You are losing the match so it was a bad moment for us and a very good moment for them because they wanted to damage us on the counter-attack.”

Ex Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher was confused as to why Edson Alvarez committed the foul which was undeniably a second yellow. Referee Peter Bankes wasted no time showing the 27-year-old a second yellow card at the City Ground. He said: ““Why would you give the referee a decision to make like that when you’re on a yellow card?”

Former England goalkeeper Ben Foster also went in on the Mexican saying the red card was a “nail in the coffin” for West Ham United.

Speaking on The Football Fill-In [4 November] about the game, Foster said: “It’s a nail in the coffin as well, isn’t it? At that point there, the red card happens, you’re already getting pumped. At half-time, by the way, West Ham made two substitutions. They were rubbish in that first half. I think they had their first shot on target in the 45th minute.”

It was yet another a bad performance for Alvarez and the team under Julen Lopetegui, they face Everton at home on Saturday and another poor performance and defeat could be the end for Julen Lopetegui at West Ham.