Crystal Palace chief Steve Parish hit out at Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts after Jean-Philippe Mateta was rushed to hospital with a serious head injury during their FA Cup tie on Saturday. Mateta was taken out in an accidental collision by a reckless challenge from Roberts, who had jumped high and led with his boot, and the heavy impact knocked the Frenchman to the ground. Mateta did not immediately get up after falling down on the ground in a heap, with medical staff rushing onto the pitch to his aid.

He was given oxygen on the ground during the stoppage, which lasted several minutes, and it soon became apparent that Mateta would need to be substituted. While he received medical attention, referee Michael Oliver - who did not initially show a red card - reviewed the incident on the pitchside monitor and gave him his marching orders.

Reacting to the incident in a half-time interview with BBC Sport, a furious Parish hit out at Roberts for his dangerous tackle.

“In all the time I’ve been watching football I don’t think I’ve ever seen a worse challenge," the Palace chief said. "If you’re kicking someone in the head then you don’t know what damage may have been done.”

Parish, who was sat in the directors' box, was caught by TV cameras gesticulating to other members of staff beside him and re-enacting the tackle. After a lengthy delay, it was clear that Mateta would be unable to continue as he was stretchered off the pitch, with an ambulance waiting to take him to hospital.

The home fans gave him a standing ovation, while ugly chants from the Millwall fans emanated from the away end. While the Frenchman was clearly in a bad way and receiving treatment on the pitch, a group of Millwall fans at Selhurst Park appeared to chant: "Let him die, let him die, let him die."

Parish provided an update on Mateta's condition after he was rushed to hospital in an ambulance waiting outside Selhurst Park. After confirming he had been hospitalised with a head injury and a bad gash to his head, the Palace chief simply said: “We hope for the best.”

While Parish and the rest of the Palace team would've been concerned for Mateta's welfare, they continued to soldier on without the striker as Eddie Nketiah replaced him as a substitute.

Japhet Tanganga's own goal gave the hosts the lead before Daniel Munoz stabbed home a second. Millwall gave themselves a glimmer of hope despite going down to 10 men, with Wes Harding's deflected effort finding the net in the 13th minute of stoppage time.

But Nketiah made sure of their progress with a looping header late on to clinch Palace's spot in the quarter-finals.