Ex-FIFA official shares view on Aleksandr Mitrovic incident in Everton v Fulham
Everton picked up another solid point away at Fulham on Saturday (29 October) but the game wasn’t void of controversy with VAR.
The 0-0 draw saw little in the way of chances at either end in what was a cagey affair with neither side looking willing to risk one point to try and win three.
There was one flashpoint, however, which saw Idrissa Gana Gueye and Aleksandr Mitrovic go in for a 50/50 with the latter appearing to stand on the Senegal man’s foot.
Former FIFA official Dermot Gallagher was not convinced that it should have been overturned to a red card after the referee only showed a yellow card.
“I didn’t think it was a red card on Saturday and I still don’t but there are lots of people that do,” Gallagher said on Ref Watch. “It doesn’t look nice but both playing are reaching for the ball.
“I think what helps him is that he’s come from a short distance so he hasn’t got the momentum or intensity and therefore it lacks the impact but it’s a strong yellow card.”
Right call
Frank Lampard and Everton may have felt aggrieved that Mitrovic wasn’t sent off but there has to be some leeway when it comes to 50/50 contests and challenges.
There was absolutely no malice in the challenge from the Serbian and you have to remember that Gueye was sliding in himself to put himself in that position.
In a game as fast-paced as the Premier League, there will always be incidents like this and if red cards start getting brandished for such tackles then no team will have a full contingent of players by the end of any game.
A yellow card was completely fair and it is a credit to the referee and the VAR officials at Stockley Park for not cowering to taking the easy way out of just sending him off.
None of that helped Everton, however, but they would have taken a point away from Craven Cottage before kick-off and they still will after the fact.