Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has defended the decision not to award Aleksandar Mitrovic a red card for a nasty late challenge on Idrissa Gueye at the weekend.
The Fulham striker could count himself lucky to have escaped with just a yellow after seemingly stamping down on Gueye during the 0-0 draw at Craven Cottage. Referee John Brooks awarded the Serbian a yellow card initially, with VAR not deeming it worthy of another look.
The ECHO understands that the tackle was checked by VAR at Stockley Park, but it was decided that the challenge was low and came from a short distance so lacked intensity and impact - a justification that former Premier League ref Gallagher echoed on reflection this morning.
READ MORE: James Tarkowski makes blunt Aleksandar Mitrovic red card point as Everton improvement identified
"I didn’t think it was a red card on Saturday and I still don't," Gallagher told Sky Sports. "He goes in and it doesn't look nice but I think both players are reaching for the ball. The thing that helps Mitrovic is that he comes in from a short distance so he hasn’t got the momentum or the intensity and therefore it lacks the impact. I think it’s what I would call a strong yellow card. Not a nice challenge but not enough to go into a red card.
"Because both players are low and reaching for the ball it’s not one where the players come from a distance and he’s started high and hits him above the ankle. I think the fact they're both at that low angle [helps Mitrovic], but I think the key for me, was the fact that he was so close to the ball that he didn’t really stamp in and intensity."
Everton pair Frank Lampard and James Tarkowski both felt that the challenge deserved a red, with the latter claiming that VAR would not have overturned a decision to send the Fulham man off.
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