Football legends including Gary Neville and Alan Shearer blew up after a potentially ‘career ending tackle’ on Manchester City star Phil Foden went totally unpunished.
In the second half of City’s 2-1 comeback win over Luton Town, Foden was lucky to avoid a broken leg or other serious injury after a ‘leg breaker’ from Scotland forward Jacob Brown.
Brown leapt with both feet in the air, with the studs of one boot collecting the calf of the 23-year-old starlet.
Remarkably, referee Tim Robinson did not even blow a foul, while the VAR – Australian Jarred Gillett – reviewed the incident and did not rule it a clear error or worthy of a red card.
The video assistant cannot recommend a yellow card – only a send-off – so Brown’s dangerous tackle received no punishment.
That left Premier League legends appalled.
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Manchester United and England great Gary Neville took to social media to criticise the tackle, saying the intent was to ‘significantly harm’ Foden.
Neville wrote on X: “I said this a few weeks ago. When a player jumps in like that the fact the opposing player’s leg isn’t broken doesn’t alter the fact every professional hates that challenge more than any other. The intent can only be there to significantly harm your opponent.”
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Speaking after the match on the world feed broadcast, all-time Premier League top scorer Alan Shearer fumed: “I think it’s a terrible decision, number one from the referee, and I think it’s a terrible decision from the VAR.
“That is everything they told us to protect players — high, out of control, every directive they say, that is a clear red card. He doesn’t even give a foul! And then for the VAR not to tell him? I don’t know. For me it’s a clear red card.”
VAR has been heavily criticised in recent weeks, reigniting calls for former players to be brought in to assist with the video review process.
Currently, each match has a video assistant referee (VAR) and an assistant video referee (AVAR) who advise the on-field referee. But while both VAR officials are accredited elite-level referees, many believe the lack of input from someone who has played the game at an elite level is contributing to poor decision-making.
Former league winner Tim Sherwood said: “I know why he doesn’t give it. He don’t give it because they don’t leave the floor. They (referees) think every tackle when someone leaves the floor, they have to give a red card, it has to be a foul, it has to be a booking.
“I know there’s a big debate, (if) you need to have played the game to be up there to help them. In this case, you need to have played the game, to be up there to help them.
“That is a leg breaker! That is a career ending tackle and they haven’t recognised this. Good job Phil Foden’s leg is off the floor. If it’s on the floor, planted, he snaps his leg in half there! That is a horrendous tackle and they got it all wrong.”
A visibly frustrated Shearer added: “I don’t see that as being a really difficult decision. The number of times they looked at it!
“I’m trying not to get too angry because of the situation we find ourselves in, talking about it again. For me that should have been a simple decision.”
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