There is worry for Brighton’s Evan Ferguson with many pundits baffled on how Liverpool’s Fabinho escaped a red card for his late lunge.
According to Karen Carney and Glenn Murray, Fabinho was fortunate to avoid an obvious red card for his challenge as Brighton went on to knock Liverpool out with a 2-1 win in the FA Cup fourth round.
Liverpool’s Brazilian defensive midfielder, evidently frustrated by the pace of proceedings at the Amex Stadium, hit out late at Brighton’s striker in an attempt to regain possession.
The FA Cup holders were eliminated by Brighton thanks to a late goal by Kaoru Mitoma and Lewis Dunk.
Jurgen Klopp’s side could be even worse if Fabinho was given marching orders after making a rash challenge.
I genuinely think this may be the worst VAR decision that I’ve seen.
It’s horrendous that the referee has got that one wrong in real time, but the fact that VAR haven’t overturned that is frightening.
Fabinho knows it too.
— Tom Young (@TomYoungSJ) January 29, 2023
Murray says VAR should’ve overturned the initial yellow card Fabinho was shown in place of a red, while Carney said Fabinho himself knew he was lucky to stay on the pitch.
‘For me that’s a match changing incident so it needs to be reviewed,’ said Murray on ITV.
‘I can’t understand how the VAR referee can say that isn’t a red. It’s a terrible challenge.
‘The player knows it’s a red, he’s waiting to be sent off and somehow remains on the field. That’s me as a professional footballer not as a Brighton ex-player.’ he added.
Carney said: ‘Sometimes referees just go and look at the offending player and you know that should be a red card.
‘He [Fabinho] knows. It’s late, it’s a horrible challenge and he knows he should have been sent off there.’
🗣 “I can’t understand how the VAR referee can say that isn’t a red… it’s a terrible challenge! You can see from the player’s reaction – he knows it’s a red and he’s just waiting to be sent off.”
Fabinho was booked for this foul – should he have been sent off? pic.twitter.com/tqRjWMs5xl
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) January 29, 2023
Ferguson, 18, departed the Amex on crutches, with the Irishman holding his knee as he lay on the pitch following Fabinho’s challenge.
he Seagulls player left through the east side of the pitch and made his way around past the North Stand, supported on each side by a staff member.
De Zerbi said: “They asked about the foul of Fabinho but I am sure he is an honest player, a correct player.
“But on the pitch can happen this foul, this accident.”
Asked whether Ferguson was badly hurt, he added: “We will see in the next days if it will be an important injury or not.”
Klopp was questioned about the incident post-match and played down the idea that his midfielder meant harm to the Brighton youngster
‘There was no dynamic in it. I just saw it once, not a second time. With dynamic movement, we can talk about a red card, but Fabinho was more lying, then he hit Ferguson] Not cool.’
Chris Sutton said via in his Daily Mail column that “the guilt was written all over Fabinho‘s face”.
“He knew his challenge from behind on Brighton‘s young striker Evan Ferguson was bad, He knew his studs had sunk into Ferguson’s leg. He knew it was worthy of a red card.
“Yet somehow, even with Neil Swarbrick as VAR, Fabinho remained on the field. The midfielder escaped punishment when every right-minded fan knew he should have been dismissed.
“Referee David Coote missed it in real time and Swarbrick messed up from Stockley Park.”
talkSPORT’s Ally McCoist said: “It’s dangerous. It’s reckless! I don’t actually think he means to hurt him. He completely mistimes it. It’s a red.”
“It’s dangerous. It’s reckless!” 🤯🟥
“I don’t actually think he means to hurt him. He completely mistimes it. It’s a red.”
🇧🇷 Ally McCoist is shocked that Fabinho wasn’t sent off for his tackle on Ferguson. pic.twitter.com/33LFOKZUaj
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) January 30, 2023
This is what fans had to say amid worry for Evan Ferguson with pundits left baffled on how Fabinho escaped a red card for his late lunge…
@JohnFlannelly: Scandalous challenge and even worse refereeing. Clear red card.
@Lucky29Luke: Young lad Ferguson trying to make it in the game and a tackle like this could end his career before it starts
@SG_EFC: oh are the media starting to question VAR decisions for LFC, the downfall is real.. 😂
@MarkRadders: VAR seems to have gone too far the other way now. Nothing is getting overturned at the moment other than offsides. He and Robertson should have both seen red. I can understand why Webb wants to reduce the amount of interference but these are the ones fans want to see punished.
@forestlad60: Its Liverpool isnt it, this is where the outrage influences of Klopp kick in, Refs will think “do I really want berating by Klopp, do I want him beating on my changing room door after the game ” its time the FA dealt with incandescent managers and weak refs
@Jon_Chalk1: Of course it was a red. And all the Liverpool fans have in response is “yeah but what about…” 🥱
@colinmufc2: They might as well scrap it completely now because they aren’t even using it to correct clear and obvious errors anymore so what’s the point? Webb has actually made the implementation of it worse than it was. Refs don’t make decisions cause they have Var, Var doesn’t intervene.
@alejosanchezg20: There should have been 3 red cards for Liverpool in that game
@Mike87_United: Something really really stinks with the amount of absolutely scandalous decisions that club benefit from. Someone needs to say something because it’s farcical at this stage. Every week they get ridiculous decisions in their favour, every single week.
@AdamHindess1: Absolutely disgusting VAR decision. Can’t get my head around it.
@X_ray619:
This is a red card offense…
Roberson against wolves was overlooked
Now Fabinho’s tackle is still overlooked
It’s a Shame to the FA & VAR
@SamWill534: Most Liverpool fans think it was ok. Shows how shameless their fanbase is, should of been 2 red cards for them.
@fihlela_: English referees are a disgrace man. Absolute disgrace
@whoody02: its ok because he held his hand up…like robertson a few minutes later…
@johnhughes07: How was that not a red shocking tackle
@Kevinchild6: Strange that the same clubs get these dodgy decisions, Don’t let anybody say football isn’t curupt.
@TheNorthie79: He’s deliberately gone to do him. He’s missed once and made sure he got him the second time. Dreadful.
@colinmufc2: The media needs to start calling out VAR, they don’t even use it anymore to correct clear and obvious errors. Referees aren’t giving penalties etc because they have VAR to fall back on but then VAR don’t get involved to correct it. What’s the point of it anymore?
@MarkSum56163269: They really did everything they could to dissalow their 2nd goal but in the end they just couldn’t find a way
@Bar_my:
Fabinho couldn’t believe his luck.
In my eyes a straight red.
The foul against McCallister soon after was a straight red too.
Both tackles studs up
Also the last ditch tackle on McCallister was a foul and red.
No Villa fans I haven’t changed allegiance, just top 6 favouritism.
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