HAKIM ZIYECH escaped a red card despite slapping Emerson Royal.
The winger appeared to be booked for a foul before clashing with the Tottenham defender.
ReutersHakim Ziyech survived being sent off after a tussle with Emerson Royal[/caption]
AFPStuart Attwell brandished a red card before overturning the decision[/caption]
Referee Stuartt Attwell showed Ziyech a red card before being advised to consult the VAR monitor.
Upon watching the replay Attwell reversed his call and booked the Morroccan instead.
That sparked confusion as Ziyech appeared to receive two bookings without being sent off.
But replays clarified Kai Havertz was subject to the first yellow card, allowing his team-mate to remain on the pitch.
Sky Sports pundit Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink felt Ziyech was lucky not to be sent off, suggesting a different ref may have given him his marching orders.
He said: “From the other angle you see just that he hits his face.
“If you only see that then he needs to be sent off, and that’s why he’s a little bit lucky because another referee on a different day might have not switched it around [his decision].”
Fans were left puzzled by the incident with one describing it as a “shambles”.
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Another added: “I’m more confused than that. Have him a yellow for the foul, then VAR told him it was a red for the slap, then told him to check it, then he changed it to a yellow, but it’s still a 2nd yellow so he’s still off. Totally lost now.”
A third said: “Attwell gives a red card, then checks the screen which shows no clear and obvious mistake but still downgrades it to a yellow?
“Make it make sense?”
Another commented: “Absolute garbage.”