A former Premier League referee has highlighted a “flaw” with VAR after a challenge on Liverpool star Sadio Mane.
The Reds recently claimed a 1-0 win over West Ham in the Premier League at the weekend, with Mane netting the decisive strike.
Mane’s goal was the subject of a VAR check for offside, but the Senegalese international was just onside.
However, one incident which VAR did not pick up on was a challenge on Mane from West Ham defender Craig Dawson.
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Early in the second half, Dawson clipped the back of Mane’s heels and referee Jon Moss awarded a free-kick to the Reds.
Dawson was already on a yellow card at that point, and former Premier League referee Keith Hackett believes the defender should have been sent off.
But because the challenge was for a yellow card and not a straight red, VAR could not intervene - something which Hackett feels is a “flaw” with the system.
“Dawson knew exactly what he was doing,” Hackett told Football Insider .
“He got Sadio Mane on his right ankle. For me, that was at least a yellow card so he had to go.
“He was a very lucky guy to escape that one. The more I watch it, the worse it is.
“It’s difficult for Jon Moss to see that, you have to be ideally positioned. This is what TV pulls out.
“Of course, if I think it’s a yellow then VAR is thinking it’s a yellow but can’t come in because it’s a second yellow card. It can only come in on a straight red.
“That’s a flaw in the VAR system.”
