Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has argued why Harry Kane was 'lucky' not to be sent off against Liverpool.
The Tottenham Hotspur striker was shown only a yellow card after a challenge on Reds left-back Andy Robertson.
Jurgen Klopp criticised referee Paul Tierney after the game and said the lunge from Kane was '100 per cent' worthy of a red card.
Robertson himself was later sent off for a foul on Emerson Royal, which led to further frustration with referee Tierney in the Liverpool camp.
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Speaking on Sky Sports News, Gallagher was asked whether he felt Tierney got the decision wrong, and why he felt only a yellow card was shown.
“I feel he’s (Kane) really lucky,” said Gallagher.
“I think where he’s got lucky is the referee has looked for the height of the boot.
“Two things, I think both players are lucky to be honest. Kane is lucky because he’s gone across the ground and he catches him (Robertson) on the ankle.
“But I think Robertson is very, very lucky because if his leg is planted then I think he’s going to get a broken leg.
“I think that’s the only reason the referee kept him (Kane) on the field is the height of the boot.
“Speed, intensity, distance come, it ticks a lot of the boxes.”
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Gallagher was then asked why VAR did not intervene and ask Tierney to look at the pitchside monitor like he did for the challenge by Robertson on Royal.
The former top-flight referee was also asked whether he thought Tierney would have changed his mind had he received the benefit of a slow-motion replay courtesy of VAR.
“Because the VAR is a referee and he gets the same coaching and training as the referee, and that’s how they’ve been coached,” said Gallagher.
“I don’t know (if Tierney would have changed his mind), because both referees have got the same mindset of how high the boot was.
“Referees are coached about how high the boot is, and in my opinion that’s the only reason that Kane stayed on the field. He’s got really, really lucky.
“The easier option, if a red card had come out, no-one would have dissented.”
