Manchester United loanee Marcel Sabitzer was 'extremely lucky' to avoid a red card that would have ruled him out of the Carabao Cup final clash with Newcastle United. That is the view of former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher, after the midfielder escaped punishment for a knee-high challenge on Wout Faes in the victory over Leicester City.
The Red Devils overcame a slow start to ease to a 3-0 win over the Foxes at Old Trafford on Sunday, with Jadon Sancho netting after Marcus Rashford struck either side of the break. However, Newcastle's upcoming opponents could have been reduced to 10 men before the interval when Sabitzer caught Faes on the side of his knee with his studs.
Referee Stuart Attwell did not punish the midfielder for the challenge, and a brief VAR review stood by the decision. However, Gallagher is in no doubt that Sabitzer should have seen red for the 'dangerous' challenge.
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When asked if Sabitzer was fortunate to avoid a dismissal, Gallagher told Sky Sports News: "Extremely lucky. I think it's a red card, I think if you put your studs into somebody's knee that high, I just think it's dangerous.
"What I would say is the one thing that it can't be is a free-kick only, that's just not possible. So I think the referee should punish on the field, I think with a red card.
"Whether there's enough for the VAR because he thinks he's come a short distance, maybe he doesn't think there's an impact. It's all about the referee's decision, if the referee gives the red card on the field for that and it gets thrown to VAR, it would never get overturned."
Pundit and former Liverpool full-back Stephen Warnock added: "The thing for me is when you look at the challenge again, and you see the position of the referee, I think he's got his eyes focused on the Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall incident. If you look at his position now, there's a tackle being made in front of him and I think his eyes are on that.
"Whether he's seen the Sabitzer one or not, I'm not sure. He should have, however surely now it's up to VAR to say have you seen that?
"Has your eyeline been drawn to that or not, because if you haven't seen it it's a bad tackle and you have to take a look at it. How they've not sent him off is beyond me, because it's a bad, bad tackle."
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