Pundits criticise Huddersfield Town boss Carlos Corberan for timing of Millwall decision

Carlos Corberan has come under fire from Sky Sports pundits Neil Harris and Jobi McAnuff for the timing of his second substitution against Millwall. Benik Afobe grabbed his second goal of the game off a crossed set piece from deep on the Millwall left in the 57th minute, and the Huddersfield Town head coach attracted scrutiny for deciding to take off centre-back Matty Pearson to make a tactical substitution while his side prepared to defend the free kick.

Right-back Ollie Turton came on as Town shifted to four at the back having looked poor in their 3-4-2-1 up to that point in their worst performance – and first defeat – since November. That decision was later discussed in the Sky Sports studio.

Former Millwall and Cardiff City boss Harris said: “Obviously we’re not here to judge a manager’s decisions to make a sub at the relevant time. You don’t often make defensive substitutions when you’re defending a set piece, especially when you take off arguably your best header of a football.

“We don’t know if Matty Pearson was injured or anything [he wasn’t], but obviously the ball falls to Benik Afobe and it’s a wonderful strike, but if Pearson was on the pitch could the marking be better on the first ball? Possibly.”

McAnuff added: “I think personnel is the key, key factor here for me. You’re taking off probably your most aggressive attacker of a ball in a situation, particularly against a team that is so good and so well-drilled at set pieces. I think sometimes it can just create that little bit of uncertainty in the box.

"Of course you’re lacking a leader, someone who is going to go and dominate that area. For me certainly I wouldn’t have made that substitution at that time. Whether it was a real factor in the goal I