Kai Havertz started for Arsenal and scored a header from Bukayo Saka’s corner to give the team a 37th-minute lead over Burnley. He nearly became a sending-off incident in the second half when his studs caught Lesley Ugochukwu on the left calf after a slide in the middle of the pitch. The referee booked Havertz, and VAR did not prompt a review on the pitchside monitor. Arsenal replaced Havertz with Viktor Gyokeres minutes later and held on for a nervy 1-0 win. Commentators and former players criticized the challenge as dangerous, while the Premier League Match Centre confirmed VAR checked and upheld the yellow card as not serious foul play.
"Havertz very nearly was dismissed midway through the second half, when, in the middle of the pitch, he slid in and his studs caught Lesley Ugochukwu on his left calf. Havertz was only booked by referee Paul Tierney, with video assistant referee James Bell not advising the official to watch the incident back on a pitchside monitor. Mikel Arteta decided to replace Havertz with Gyokeres minutes later as the Gunners held on for a nervy 1-0 win to move one win away from becoming champions."
"Former England defender Gary Neville, commentating for Sky Sports, said: "Vicious from Havertz. He is miles away from the ball. I don't like that. The height of it and the fact it is on the standing leg." After VAR did not get involved, Neville added: "I don't think that is right. He is a lucky boy." A statement from the Premier League Match Centre said: "The referee's call of yellow card to Havertz was checked and confirmed by VAR with the challenge deemed not to be serious foul play.""
"Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, Green said: "Studs up, both feet off the ground, it's high. There will bunches of people referring back to still images where there have been red cards. "You speak to the players and ask which tackles do you want to eradicate and it's those ones.""
Read at www.bbc.com
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