'Has to be': Jamie Carragher blasts referee decision amid Arsenal red card controversy | OneFootball

Gunners forward was extremely fortunate not to see red for horror challenge

Jamie Carragher has called Kai Havertz “very lucky” after the Arsenal forward escaped a straight red card for a lunge on Lesley Ugochukwu.

There was a moment of controversy in the capital when Havertz tried to recover with a sliding challenge on Ugochukwu as the Burnley midfielder broke away, but instead of sliding, the goalscorer threw himself at the Frenchman, planting his studs high up the calf the former Chelsea man’s standing leg.

The replay made for nasty viewing, but the VAR at Stockley Park adjudged the foul to warrant no more than the initial yellow card dished out by referee Paul Tierney.

Controversy: Kai Havertz

PA

"He's very lucky,” Carragher said.

“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."

Ex-Arsenal skipper Patrick Vieira, the last Gunners player to lift the Premier League trophy, controversially agreed with Tierney’s call to simply book Havertz.

"I think it was the right decision, honestly,” the Frenchman said.