Referees have been reminded of the threshold for red cards, even for challenges of a perceived low intensity, after a weekend of dangerous tackles in the FA Cup.
PGMOL, the body responsible for match officials in the professional English game, have admitted an error in failing to send off Fabinho after the Liverpool midfielder’s studs-up challenge from behind on Evan Ferguson in Brighton’s 2-1 win over Jurgen Klopp’s side. Brighton are yet to confirm the extent of the Republic of Ireland international’s injury, but there are reportedly early signs it is not as serious as first feared.
Yet Manchester United have announced that Christian Eriksen will be out for “an extended period”, expected to be up to four months, following Andy Carroll’s two-footed challenge during Saturday’s 3-1 victory over Reading. Eriksen left Old Trafford on crutches but Carroll was not booked, though he was later sent off for two separate bookable offences.
i has been told that Carroll’s tackle on Eriksen was deemed to fall into the category of somewhere between a yellow and a red card, hence why VAR did not intervene as video assistants can only instruct referees to look at red card offences.
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United have been left irate at Eriksen’s injury and spent deadline day pursuing Bayern Munich midfielder Marcel Sabitzer, though a statement added “there is hope that Christian can return in time to play a role in the final stages of the season”.
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) January 31, 2023
Christian Eriksen is out for around three months following this challenge last weekend
Major blow for Man Utd#ITVFootball pic.twitter.com/ArMiqj0Lur
ICYMI
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) January 30, 2023
Fabinho was booked for this foul – should he have been sent off? pic.twitter.com/yRUNon9K6S
United boss Erik ten Hag admitted the club was “disappointed” and would struggle to replace him, hinting he will rely on Fred to play alongside Casemiro as “you can’t make policy on such bad injuries”.
Former Premier League referee Howard Webb recently became first chief refereeing officer of the PGMOL; Webb is understood to be driving a move for greater transparency after refereeing errors and to shorten the time of VAR checks, though complex decisions will inevitably take longer.
“I think you can never fill that [gap] because every player has his own characteristics, identity, another player will always fill in a different way,” Ten Hag added.
“But it doesn’t mean you have to be less successful. It’s quite clear Christian Eriksen brings top quality to our squad and he has some specifics that are hard to replace, such as his impacts in the final third with his final ball.”
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