“It has to be a red card.” Liverpool icon admits Havertz was lucky to escape sending off against Burnley

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·19 Mei 2026

“It has to be a red card.” Liverpool icon admits Havertz was lucky to escape sending off against Burnley

Kai Havertz was shown only a yellow card following his challenge on Lesley Ugochukwu during Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over Burnley, and the decision has generated considerable debate among supporters and pundits.

Many observers believed the challenge warranted a red card, with the incident quickly becoming one of the major talking points from the match. Havertz avoided dismissal despite concerns over the height and nature of the tackle.

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Debate Over Refereeing Decisions

Arsenal have been one of the strongest defensive sides in the Premier League this season, yet they have still managed to avoid conceding both a penalty and a red card throughout the campaign.

The decision involving Havertz has intensified discussion surrounding consistency in Premier League officiating, particularly as some supporters and neutral viewers believe similar challenges have resulted in harsher punishments in other matches.

There is also growing scrutiny regarding Arsenal’s recent matches after some observers claimed the club benefited from favourable officiating decisions in consecutive fixtures, including their previous 1-0 victory against West Ham.

Despite the controversy, Arsenal successfully held on for another important win as they continued their push during the closing stages of the season.

Carragher Criticises Decision

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher strongly criticised the decision not to dismiss Havertz and suggested the Arsenal player was fortunate to remain on the pitch.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Carragher questioned both the referee’s judgement and the VAR review process.

He said:

“He’s very lucky. I think the fact the referee has such a good view and gives a yellow makes it maybe difficult for VAR to go against it.

“How the referee hasn’t given a red straight away, I don’t know. He can’t have a better view. It has to be a red card.

“The idea will be the force, that’s the one thing that’s saved him. I just struggle to see how you can get away with that with how high up it is on the calf.”

The incident is likely to remain a subject of debate as discussions around refereeing standards and VAR consistency continue across the Premier League.

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