Pundit: This may be real reason Mane escaped red card as controversial Liverpool footage emerges
Kevin Phillips has suggested Liverpool attacker Sadio Mane escaped a red card offence at Stamford Bridge.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the 2000 European Golden Shoe winner claimed the timing of the 29-year-old’s alleged elbow on Cesar Azpilicueta may have “influenced” referee Anthony Taylor’s decision.
Mane was booked after colliding with Azpilicueta in the first minute of Liverpool’s 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
The decision proved even more controversial after the Senegalese forward gave Jurgen Klopp’s side the lead just seven minutes after the incident.
Speaking on Sky Sports (2 January), co-commentator Gary Neville concluded that the decision was the correct one from Anthony Taylor.
When asked by Football Insider for his assessment of the controversial incident, Phillips said: “Have we ever really seen it?
“Have we ever seen someone get sent off in the first minute?
“A sending off is a sending off. It shouldn’t make any difference but it often does. That may have been the case there. If it’s a red card offence it should be a red card.
“The referees are always more lenient in the first five or 10 minutes though. Often the referee sets the tone of the game by how he referees the game in that period.
“I’d say the timing of it had an influence on the decision. Mane may have got away with one.”
The result saw both sides lose ground on Premier League leaders Manchester City.
Pep Guardiola’s side are now 10 points clear of their rivals.
In other news, Football Insider can reveal Klopp’s stance on Liverpool making a stunning move for Erling Haaland.