Former Premier League referee Peter Walton believes Paul Tierney’s controversial decision not to send off Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane in the 2-2 draw with Liverpool can be defended.
Kane was shown a yellow card for a high, studs-up challenge on Andy Robertson in the first half but many thought he should have been shown red.
Robertson was sent off later in the game after VAR intervened and Tierney upgraded his original yellow after the rash challenge on Emerson Royal.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was aggrieved after the match and thought that Kane’s challenge warranted a dismissal.
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“The law is strict when a player lunges in as Kane did. Whether it is from the front, side or back, a challenge like that always risks a red card, especially when contact is made above the ankle,” said Walton in The Times.
“If the on-field referee, Paul Tierney, had considered the incident to be serious foul play at speed, it would have been fair to send him off.
“What saves the England striker is that Robertson’s foot was not planted. The Liverpool man’s raised leg limited the force of the tackle and convinced Tierney that there was no serious foul play.
“Both a booking and a red card are justifiable, therefore the referee did not make a clear and obvious error, and VAR was correct not to intervene."
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It was suggested that the fact that Kane is England captain, and that he boasts a good disciplinary record, may have helped his cause.
But Walton added: "Referees do study players and formations ahead of a game. They are aware that certain players need to be dealt with proactively. Kane does not fall into this category. It has been more than 10 years since his last red card — for Leyton Orient away to Huddersfield Town in League One.
"Nevertheless, referees still assess each decision in isolation and the England captain’s excellent disciplinary record is not what saved him here."
Walton also believes the initial decision to give Robertson a yellow card should have stood - like Kane - and did not understand why VAR got involved.
He said: "If anything, you can argue that Kane’s tackle was more than a yellow, because he is at full stretch and making contact high up. Like the on-field officials, the video assistants should strive to apply the rules in the same manner throughout, so I am perplexed at why VAR sent Tierney to the touchline only for the Robertson incident.
“Officials are always going to upset half of the audience with their decisions. They can control only the consistency of their actions and it appears the threshold for overturning decisions changed mid-game.”
