The young player from the Reds, currently on loan at Blackburn Rovers, was controversially sent off after reacting to being bitten by Preston North End’s Milutin Osmajic during a scoreless Lancashire derby.
“Owen has a noticeable bite mark on the back of his neck, and it’s unfortunate the referee missed it,” said Rovers manager John Eustace on BBC Radio Lancashire (via BBC Sport). Osmajic’s actions undoubtedly evoke memories of former Liverpool player Luis Suarez, who generated controversy in April 2013 after biting Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic while playing for Brendan Rodgers’ side during their near-title run.
It’s expected that the FA will review footage of the incident involving Beck as part of their investigation to assess any possible retrospective action.
The bite inflicted by Osmajic on Beck could set a precedent similar to that of Luis Suarez. At the time, Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre deemed the punishment shocking when the FA imposed a 10-game ban on Suarez after his bite on Ivanovic. This suggests that Osmajic might face comparable repercussions.
Thus, it seems likely that such a review could clear Beck’s name and potentially lead to a reduction of his three-game suspension based on new evidence.
