Crystal Palace midfielder Ruesha Littlejohn has been handed a five-match suspension after an incident of violent conduct during a Women’s League Cup match against Leicester City on 23 November. The 35-year-old Republic of Ireland international became involved in a clash with Leicester’s Hannah Cain, during which she grabbed Cain around the neck and slammed her to the ground. Cain required treatment on the pitch but was able to finish the match. Littlejohn received a straight red card for her actions, and Crystal Palace went on to win the game 3–0, advancing to the League Cup quarter-finals.
The altercation began when Leicester’s Olivia McLoughlin tangled with Crystal Palace’s Annabel Blanchard, prompting Cain to step between the two players. Littlejohn appeared to nudge Cain, who responded by pushing her in the back. It was at this point that Littlejohn grabbed Cain around her head and forcefully wrestled her to the ground, an act some described on social media as a “WWE-style takedown.” The incident occurred in the 58th minute of the game.
The standard punishment for violent conduct is a three-match suspension. However, the Football Association argued that in this case, the usual sanction was “clearly insufficient.” Littlejohn denied that a three-match ban would be inadequate. Following a hearing by the regulatory commission, the FA’s claim was upheld, and Littlejohn’s suspension was increased to five matches. The commission will provide a written explanation of its decision in due course.
As a result of the suspension, Littlejohn will miss several key matches for Crystal Palace. She will be unavailable for the League Cup quarter-final against Arsenal on 19 December, the FA Cup second-round tie against Lewes, and three Women’s Super League 2 fixtures against Birmingham City, Bristol City, and Sheffield United. Having joined Crystal Palace in the summer, Littlejohn has been an experienced and influential figure in midfield for the second-tier club.
Littlejohn has publicly expressed regret over the incident. Speaking at a Republic of Ireland press conference, she acknowledged that she had let her emotions spill over on the pitch. She described herself as an emotional player and emphasised that the incident does not reflect the person she wants to be on the field. She also stated that she intends to learn from the episode and move forward.
Leicester manager Rick Passmoor said that the incident had initially shaken Cain but is now in good spirits. He confirmed that Cain, after returning from international duty, is ready to face Manchester City in their upcoming WSL match.
Republic of Ireland manager Carla Ward, who previously coached Littlejohn at Aston Villa and Birmingham City, condemned the wave of abusive messages Littlejohn received online following the incident. Ward described much of the abuse as “disgusting” and emphasised that Littlejohn is a human being, a daughter, and a sister. While acknowledging that the incident itself was unacceptable, Ward called for greater protection for players from online harassment. Ward’s comments echoed recent observations by Keira Walsh, who revealed that the majority of WSL players have experienced online abuse.
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