Marcel Sabitzer was not sent off for a first half challenge on Leicester City's Wout Faes as VAR officials deemed there was a lack of sufficient force or momentum.
The Manchester United midfielder caught Faes with a late studs up, knee high challenge but managed to escape without a caution in United's 3-0 win at Old Trafford. That said, Sabitzer was able to withdraw his boot quickly to avoid an excessive follow through which is why both referee Stuart Attwell and VAR's Paul Tierney decided against taking action.
Attwell decided that the challenge was not worthy of a yellow card from his on-field pitch of the incident and the current laws state that a player cannot be booked retrospectively after a VAR review.
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Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher, however, disagreed with the decision made on the day, saying that Sabizter was very fortunate to avoid a red card while appearing on Sky Sports' Ref Watch. Gallagher said: "He was extremely lucky.
"I think it's a red card. If you put your studs into someone's knee that high, it's dangerous. The one thing it can't be is a free kick only. The referee should punish on the field. If the referee gives a red card, it would never get overturned." The incident occurred in the first half after United had gone 1-0 up through another Marcus Rashford goal.
The game was very much in the balance at that point with Rashford's opener actually coming against the run of play, though United took control in the second 45 minutes to earn a comfortable victory. Sky Sports pundit Graeme Souness was also of the opinion that Sabitzer should have been given his marching orders.
He said: “For a start he’s partly to blame because he’s on his heels, Faes, when this ball break from him not being alive to it, but that, Sabitzer has turned side-on to him, and that’s a classic case of if you’re going to go and do someone, that’s how you do it.
“You turn side-on. If he makes contact with the ball, what’s he going to do with the ball? He’s looking at the player.”
Former United defender Gary Neville disagreed with Souness, saying Sabitzer's challenge lacked the required force to justify a straight red.
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