World Cup - Richard Hercock: Lewin’s freak injury brought back memories of Wembley ’93

Arsenal had just beaten Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 in the League Cup final and the on-pitch celebrations were in full swing.

The Gunners’ hero was former Northern Ireland international Steve Morrow, who had netted the decisive goal.

But he was to end the day in hospital when he broke his collarbone after falling off the shoulders of Tony Adams as they jigged on the pitch.

It was a freak injury, and Saturday night’s late show in Manaus had me dipping into some dark nostalgia. That’s because England physio Gary Lewin – the former Arsenal man – dislocated his ankle while celebrating Daniel Sturridge’s equaliser.

The television cameras didn’t seem to pick up the actual incident, but you can just imagine what happened.

I often wince when players all throw themselves on top of each other, fearing for the safety of the poor chap at the bottom who might have got a limb twisted wrongly.

BBC pundit Rio Ferdinand can’t smirk too much though. While at Leeds, the defender managed to pick up a tendon strain in his knee while watching television with his foot up on a coffee table for a number of hours.

Or, for another freak injury, what about Barnsley midfielder Darren Barnard.

He was sidelined for five months with a torn knee ligament after he slipped in a puddle of his puppy’s urine on the kitchen floor.

Even Italy’s match-winner Mario Balotelli is not immune to the bizarre.

The Italian was substituted during Manchester City’s UEFA Cup defeat against Dynamo Kiev after suffering what was said to be an allergic reaction to the pitch.

Balotelli proved to be the difference on Saturday night in Manaus.

Going into this World Cup, I expected little from England.

So I was pleasantly surprised with their attacking intent against Italy. Raheem Sterling was a constant danger – he even managed to ghost onto the BBC set, almost making me choke on my late-night cocoa.

The Liverpool attacker was rumbled by Italy as the game went on, they doubled up on him, and nullified his danger after the break.

I would like to have seen Ricky Lambert thrown on instead of Jack Wilshere, to change England’s system in the final 20 minutes.

And Roy Hodgson should have switched things round inside the opening 20 minutes when it was clear Wayne Rooney was leaving Leighton Baines totally exposed on the left flank.

But all is not lost, with games against Uruguay and the impressive Costa Rica to come.

What has stood out in the opening few days of the tournament is the difference in refereeing from our domestic game.

It seems officials have been told to clampdown on defenders man-handling attackers inside the penalty box, with spot-kicks already given for this.

And if Costa Rica’s Yeltsin Tejeda had produced that two-footed challenge in the Premier League he would have been having an early bath.

If Tejeda had connected, it wouldn’t have been just Gary Lewin heading for hospital.