Liverpool 1-0 Everton: James Tickowki “Lucky” in Escape Red Card
Explaining the decision, the center of the premier League match said on X: “The referee’s call of Yellow Card for a reckless foul by Tarkowski was controlled by the Var, with contact on the following after Tarkowski had played the ball deemed to be reckless”.
The key word here is “reckless”, which according to law 12 deserves a yellow card rather than a red.
However, Liverpool – and many spectators – felt that Tarkowski’s challenge was not only reckless, but was also made with excessive force.
According to Law 12, as explained on the website of the Association of football, “a tackle or a challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force or brutality must be sanctioned as a serious game”.
Continue: “Any player who launches himself against an opponent in challenge for the ball on the front, on the one hand or from behind using one or both legs, with excessive force or endanger the safety of an opponent is guilty of a serious game.”
Taking into account this, Tarkowski central defender of Blues was in some way lucky to stay on the pitch, with his challenge that left Mac Allister to twist in pain – although the winner of the Argentine World Cup was able to continue after receiving care.
It is also worth noting that, within the formulation of the laws, there is no reference to win the ball in making a plate. If a player uses excessive force, whether he takes the ball or not is irrelevant, he would still satisfy the threshold for a red card.
