James Tarkowski somehow avoided a red card over his tackle on Alexis Mac Allister – despite the Premier League acknowledging it as ‘reckless’.
The Everton captain can count himself lucky he wasn’t given an early bath having left the Liverpool midfielder in agony over his ‘leg-breaking’ challenge.
In the 11th minute at Anfield, the England international slid in to stop Mac Allister from getting to the ball first outside of Everton’s box.
But in his follow through, the ex-Burnley man caught the 2022 World Cup winner high up on his leg.
Referee Paul Tierney instantly brandished him a yellow card, and despite VAR taking a look, they refused to send the match official to the pitchside monitor for a second look.
Speaking on Sky Sports commentary, a bewildered Gary Neville said: “That’s a potential leg breaker.”
Before adding: “You do not need to follow through like with such force, and it’s high. Very lucky.”
Meanwhile talkSPORT co-host Jamie O’Hara took to social media to post: “Tarkowski is one hundred percent a Red card.
“I can’t believe VAR have let that go.”
And the Premier League were quick in taking to X to release a statement as to why Tarkowski wasn’t shown a straight red card.
The statement read: “The referee’s call of yellow card for a reckless foul by Tarkowski was checked by the VAR, with contact on the follow through after Tarkowski had played the ball deemed to be reckless.”
For Tarkowski, it’s his 63rd booking in the top-flight since making his Premier League debut during the 2016/17 season.
It is the joint most amount of yellow cards in the division without ever been shown a red card.
More to follow…
