Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has explained why Robert Sanchez was not sent off for his challenge on Luis Diaz.
Liverpool claimed a 2-0 win over Brighton at the weekend thanks to a Diaz goal and a Mohamed Salah penalty.
For Diaz’s goal, after latching onto a long-range pass from Joel Matip, the Colombia international headed the ball past Brighton stopper Sanchez to put Liverpool in front.
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However after Diaz made contact with the ball, Sanchez lifted his leg and collided with the Liverpool forward.
Despite plenty of pundits subsequently stating that the Spanish international deserved to be sent off, referee Mike Dean did not even hand out a yellow card.
VAR referee Stuart Attwell also did not instruct Dean to go over to the pitchside monitor to see if Sanchez’s challenge warranted a red card.
Speaking on Sky Sports News - alongside former Reds defender Stephen Warnock - Gallagher has explained why he thinks the decision was taken not to have Dean go over to the monitor to review the challenge by Sanchez.
“A phrase that Stephen uses is, ‘it’s not the VAR protocol, it’s the operative’,” said Gallagher.
“And the operative felt that it was a reckless challenge.
“By thinking it’s a reckless challenge, the referee is hamstrung because he can only be sent to the screen if the VAR operative thinks it’s a red card.
“So as he (VAR referee Stuart Attwell) thought it was a yellow card, it’s all or nothing.
“That’s where Mike Dean was channelled by the direction of; on0field decision is a goal, protect the player... because he’s got the physio on quickly.
“Because the operative thought it was a yellow card, you can’t go anywhere.”
