Western Sydney boss Carl Robinson fears Scottish midfielder Graham Dorrans doesn’t appear to be getting any leeway with his challenges from A-League officials.
Dorrans received his eighth yellow card of the season in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Brisbane at Moreton Daily Stadium.
The booking means the 33-year-old will be banned for Tuesday’s home clash against table-topping Central Coast – the Scot’s second suspension of the season due to yellow card accumulation.
Robinson believes Dorrans is being harshly dealt with, rather than playing too recklessly.
“It seems to be that every time he fouls his mate – because he’s got a few mates around the place and around the league – he gets yellow carded,” Robinson said after Dorrans was booked for a second-half challenge on Roar veteran Scott McDonald.
“When you’re a midfield player you need to tackle, you need to make contact. But just because you’re a midfield player shouldn’t mean that the first tackle you make, you get booked.
“If that is the case, no problem, but then it has to happen every week, every time, to every player and that doesn’t happen. I think Graham’s frustrated that that is the case.”
With Dorrans suspended for the visit of the Mariners at Bankwest and Tate Russell unlikely to play after missing the Roar game with injury, Robinson is again expected to rotate his squad for Tuesday’s match.
Simon Cox, James Troisi, Bernie Ibini and Nikolai Muller started Saturday’s game on the bench before being introduced in the second-half and could be in contention to start.
“I’ll pick the team that I think are physically able to cope with a very good team, but we know we’re a very good team as well,” Robinson said.
“Hopefully it’s a good game of football.”