Ex-Premier League referee: Sadio Mane ‘fortunate’ to escape ban as ‘violent’ Liverpool footage analysed
Sadio Mane was “fortunate” to escape a red card as Liverpool beat Everton 2-0 yesterday (24 April), according to Keith Hackett.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee explained the IFAB’s “quirky” interpretation of the law meant Mane avoided a sending off.
As shown on the BBC’s Match of the Day 2 programme, the 30-year-old pushed his arm into the face of Allan at the end of the first half and was shown a yellow card.
The confrontation was a result of play continuing as Richarlison lay on the ground with an injury.
It was stopped when Abdoulaye Doucoure fouled Fabinho which led to a mass confrontaiton.
A red card for Mane would have seen him banned for Liverpool’s next three Premier League games.
“The referee had the problem of dealing with a mass confrontation,” Hackett said after analysing the footage with Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“What we say to referees in that situation is there should be a minimum of two yellow cards.
“When Doucoure put in that challenge there was a good piece of refereeing because he got the yellow card out for everyone to see he wasn’t giving a red but he was going to sanction him.
“He could have had some help from his assistant referees. The point is that assistants come on the pitch but there appeared to be a reluctance for them to get involved.
“Had at least one of the assistants come on quickly, that presence may have stopped the Mane situation.
“What is interesting with the Mane situation is when I was the boss of the PGMOL we said clearly to clubs and players ‘If a player puts his hands in the face or the neck of an opponent it would be a dissmisal’.
“In fairness, the IFAB came in to offer advice and explain the law is quirky here. They want to see a bit more, I wouldn’t say violence, just a bit more than hands in face.
“The difficulty for the VAR is that can he come in under the terms of reference? He can’t because he’s given a yellow.
“In that sense, he’s fortunate.”
In other news, Kieran Maguire has lambasted ‘ignorant’ Liverpool owner John Henry after a legal update from Madrid.