EPL: It should’ve been red, clear error – Ex-Premier referee slams VAR over Martinez’s tackle on Palmer

Former Premier League referee, Keith Hackett, has hit out at VAR over Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez’s tackle on Chelsea’s Cole Palmer.

The incident happened during Man United’s Premier League 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Martinez had raised his foot to catch Palmer studs-up on the knee, with the ball having flown into the air without the Argentina defender touching it.

Referee Rob Jones only saw fit to show Martinez a yellow card, though.

VAR Michael Salisbury also reviewed the incident but didn’t see a reason to upgrade the booking to a red card.

However, Hackett was not impressed with VAR’s decision, as he insisted that the match officials made a clear error for not handing Martinez a red card.

“Palmer’s leg; he deservedly was shown a yellow card, but it should have been red.The landing area of the boot was on Palmer’s knee and quite clearly it endangered the player’s safety,” Hackett said in his column for the Telegraph.

“Referee Rob Jones was in a good position to view the incident and decided yellow. He probably concluded that there was insufficient force behind Martinez’s challenger to warrant a stronger sanction.

“That for me was a clear and obvious error and VAR should have asked the referee to go and review the incident on the pitch-side monitor.”