Super Eagles get poetic justice as Emmanuel Dennis sees red for Watford and will miss crunch game

NIGERIA'S Super Eagles got poetic justice yesterday when Nigerian striker Emmanuel Dennis who Watford refused to release for the ongoing African Cup of Nations got sent off in a league match last night  meaning he will miss a crucial relegation scrap against Burnley.

Originally called up for the Super Eagles squad taking part in the 33rd African Cup of Nations kicking currently ongoing in Cameroon Dennis had to withdraw after his clubside Watford refused to let him go. Watford claimed that they did not receive the players invitation within the stipulated 10 days.

Most English Premier League clubs have released their African players, albeit reluctantly but in the case of Watford, the club claimed that the invitation for Dennis came late. What makes the club's argument more bizarre is that the club allowed centreback William Ekong to play in the Nations Cup and to make matters worse, Dennis's replacement was released about a week after he was called up.

Other Watford players featuring in the tournament apart from Ekong include Morocco pair Adam Masina and Imran Louza and Senegalese winger Ismaila Sarr. It is believed that Dennis is considered too important to the club's fortunes as he is their biggest source of goals, hence why the club's board failed to sanction releasing him.

In a classic case of Karma, however, the Super Eagles have qualified for the knock-out stage of the African Cup of Nations without Dennis, winning all three group games while Watford are struggling. Yesterday, Watford suffered a humiliating 0-3 loss to fellow strugglers Norwich with Dennis sent off in the 78th minute.

Dennis, 24, will now moss Watford's crucial trip to Burnley on Saturday, February 5, which has been dubbed a six pointer. With both clubs in the bottom, three, the two sides desperately need the three points at stake by Dennis, who has last scored on December 28 in a 4-1 home loss to West Ham, will not be participating in the action.