Edwards insists he wasn’t trying to hurt Morelos
DUNDEE United defender Ryan Edwards claims he didn’t try to deliberately hurt Alfredo Morelos with a controversial tackle earlier this month.
His high challenge left the Rangers striker with a nasty gash on his leg before he was stretchered off during the 4-0 victory for the home side at Ibrox.
Englishman Edwards was not punished by referee Kevin Clancy and faced no retrospective action from the SFA.
However, Rangers boss Steven Gerrard has subsequently been charged after questioning whether Morelos would have escaped a ban if he had made the tackle.
Edwards, 26, maintains it was never his intention to cause harm to the Colombian, who received stitches but suffered no lasting damage.
‘I see myself as an aggressive player, being a defender as well,’ said Edwards, who arrived at Tannadice this summer from Blackpool.
‘I have not gone in to hurt the lad.
‘I have gone in strongly to win the ball because that is my job to do. I didn’t think it was bad at the time.
‘Somebody said he had a nasty gash in his leg that I wasn’t aware of at the time.
‘I just wasn’t happy with their players surrounding the referee. That was my only reaction because I don’t like people trying to get others sent off.
‘Luckily enough, it is good to see him okay and scoring goals again. I was made aware of some screenshots of his leg.
‘I never have and never will go out to try and hurt somebody deliberately. Unfortunately, he went off in pain from the challenge.
‘I went to take the ball and I have taken the ball. There might have been a followthrough naturally, as your body does, but I didn’t see anything wrong and, in my opinion, it was never worthy of a red card.’
Asked if he had feared he might receive retrospective punishment, Edwards said: ‘In Scotland, it is more highlighted, with the games being televised and more publicity.
‘In England, the lower leagues are overshadowed by the Premier League and the Championship.
‘I know there is more coverage and I was asked my opinion on the cut on his leg and I gave it.
‘As I have said, I went to win the ball and that is what I did.’
Rangers intend fighting the charge for Gerrard after describing it as ‘bizarre’.
Gerrard had refused to say that Edwards should have been shown a red card but said after the match: ‘I’d be very interested to see what the decision would have been had the shoe been on the other foot and it was Alfredo who had made that tackle.’
That has led to him being accused of a breach of SFA rule 72, pertaining to comments which ‘indicate bias or incompetence’ on the part of match officials.
A hearing is scheduled for October 8 and, if Gerrard is hit with a touchline ban, he could be absent from the technical area for the trip to Celtic Park nine days later.