Portsmouth's James Bolton's conscience clear over challenge which broke ankle of Arsenal's Lucas Torreira
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The Arsenal midfielder is expected to be out for up to 10 weeks after fracturing his ankle during this month’s FA Cup fifth-round encounter.
Bolton’s first-half slide challenge on the Uruguay international was not recognised as a foul by referee Mike Dean.
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Hide AdNonetheless, Torreira played no further part in the game and is battling to play again this season.
Pompey’s defender subsequently received criticism from a number of Gunners supporters, but he is adamant the challenge was within the laws of the game.
Bolton told The News: ‘At the time I said to Torreira that I hoped he was okay and also asked the physio how he was. It was more of a sympathy thing, it’s not nice to see somebody in pain.
‘Obviously I have been put at ease knowing it wasn’t a foul and I thought it was a good tackle. I can imagine if it’s a bad tackle it could affect you mentally.
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Hide Ad‘Nobody wants to see a player hurt, you don’t go onto the pitch to hurt anybody, it’s just one of those things that happens in football and you have to get on with it. These kind of injuries do sometimes happen.
‘I’ve watched it a few times. I knew I got the ball and might have caught him afterwards, but there was no intention to hurt him, the ball was there and I won it.
‘I can’t get the ball and then move my body (out of the way), it’s just one of those things. He was probably unlucky his ankle got caught in my leg.’
Bolton is set to return to right-back against Accrington on Saturday, following a stint at centre-half in Christian Burgess’ absence.
And his confidence is undiminished.
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Hide AdHe added: ‘I’ve had some social media stick from Arsenal fans – and Uruguayan supporters too.
‘They are obviously going to get upset, a big player is out injured, but their players didn’t have too many complaints at the time and I don’t think their fans gave me too much stuck after it happened.
‘The people actually present saw it was an all right tackle.’
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