Ex-Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg says Andy Robertson is 'lucky to be walking' after the challenge from Harry Kane in Liverpool's 2-2 against Tottenham on Sunday.
The decision not to send the England captain off for sliding into the defender with his studs showing has come under criticism, especially given Robertson was later sent off for a rash challenge of his own.
According to The Athletic, Kane wasn't dismissed for the challenge as Robertson was 'jumping when fouled', which meant the Tottenham star didn't catch him as severely.
Clattenburg says Kane endangered his opponent and referees must to more to 'understand footballers' as Robertson had every right to move his leg out of the way.
"To hear that Robertson has to have his leg planted alarms me, because if he does that he's not walking this Christmas," he told the Monday Night Club on BBC Radio 5 Live.
"If you don't believe this is a clear and obvious error about Kane, you're not doing your job correctly.
"I think we, as referees, are sometimes guilty of knowing the laws of the game but we don't understand the game
"VAR cannot get this wrong. Referees can, because they have a split second. VAR have all the angles, he's got all the slow-motion, he can see the point of contact.
"If they are saying that his leg has to be planted, which is a new one to me, if the leg was high, the studs were showing, it's reckless, he's lunged. For me, he's endangered the safety of the opponent.
"Robbo is lucky today that he's still walking. We should understand footballers more because he's not going to leave his leg there, why should he? He's not going to want his leg broken and his career put in doubt."
Kane says he 'wasn't worried' about being sent off for the tackle as he felt he won the ball.
"It was a strong tackle but I thought I won the ball," Kane told Sky Sports after the match.
"Obviously I haven’t seen it back. When you are playing against top sides and fighting for points sometimes there’ll be strong tackles. They checked it and we move on."
