Chris Sutton has told BBC Radio 5 Live (28/09/20 at 8:50 pm) that Sadio Mane shouldn’t have been sent off for his challenge on Kieran Tierney during Liverpool’s 3-1 win against Arsenal.
In the opening minutes of the game, Arsenal fans felt that Mane should have seen red for his alleged elbow on Tierney, which the Liverpool man received a yellow card instead.
Those cries of anger from the Arsenal supporters grew louder when Mane equalised in the first half.
But during his commentary stint for BBC Radio 5 Live, former Premier League winner, Sutton was quick to defend Liverpool’s forward by claiming ‘these things happen in sport’.
“It was a yellow, wasn’t it,” Sutton told BBC Radio 5 Live. “I have seen it back a couple of times, I don’t think he actually throws the elbow.
“He does catch Tierney, but it’s not a full-blooded elbow. He is entitled to fight for his ground. It was a coming together. He did catch him. These things happen in sport. It was an accident.”
Liverpool’s trophies under Jurgen Klopp
- Champions League
2018/19
- UEFA Super Cup
2019
- FIFA Club World Cup
2019
- Premier League
2019/20
VAR did not check the incident after the on-field referee made his call, and it also seems that those watching from Stockley Park were happy with what they also saw.
Either way, both teams will be at each other’s throats once again in a few days time when they clash in a fourth-round League Cup encounter at Anfield.
It will be interesting to see what changes both managers make because it could be argued that they have bigger fish to fry in other competitions.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
