Credit: Sky Sports

Oliver Walton

Tue 19 May 2026 9:33, UK

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Kai Havertz has been described as “very fortunate” to stay on the pitch for his tackle on Lesley Ugochukwu during Arsenal‘s 1-0 win over Burnley by Keith Hackett.

Havertz lunged into a challenge on the Clarets midfielder in the second half of the clash as Arsenal took another huge step towards the Premier League title after his first half winner.

Referee Paul Tierney initially showed him a yellow card, and VAR checked the decision but decided that Havertz had not committed an offence worth a sending off despite his studs clearly showing.

The Premier League Match Centre later confirmed that Tierney was not sent to the VAR screen to brandish a red because the Arsenal star’s tackle did not fulfil the requirements of ‘serious foul play.’

He will still be available for Arsenal’s next match against Crystal Palace as they aim to claim some long-awaited silverware, but former PGMOL chief Hackett has insisted that the wrong call was made.

Keith Hackett fumes as Kai Havertz avoids clear red card – ‘No room for it in football’

Havertz was quickly taken off just a few minutes after his challenge before he even had the chance to pick up another yellow card.

Arteta likely understood that his striker was lucky to have stayed on the pitch, and former PGMOL chief and FIFA referee, Hackett, has insisted that he should have been sent off.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, he said: “That is a totally unacceptable challenge and should have resulted in Havertz receiving a red card. There is no room in football for that challenge.

“There is no doubt in my mind that Havertz is very, very fortunate to remain on the field of play and only receive a yellow card.

“The challenge fulfilled serious foul play. Down the back of a leg of his opponent with the studs could have put the player out of the game.

“Unacceptable, and sorry Paul Tierney, this warranted a red not a yellow.”

What did Arteta and Mike Jackson say about Havertz challenge?

Sources have told Football Insider that Arsenal want to upgrade on Havertz this summer, but his goal against Burnley was crucial, and Arteta admitted post-match that he was “worried” when VAR were checking the decision.

Interim Clarets boss Jackson was understandably fuming with the call, even though his side were already a goal down and are preparing for life in the Championship next term.

“It would have changed the game in our favour,” he said. “In today’s game, it is a red card and it is dangerous. He could have injured him as well.

“That means that they go down to ten with 20 minutes to go, we are still in the game.

“We stayed in the game as long as we could. They’re big decisions that sometimes we don’t get, and we haven’t got throughout the season.”