Moises Caicedo avoided a red card in the Carabao Cup final despite causing injury to Ryan Gravenberch with a reckless tackle.
Liverpool’s Gravenberch was forced off the pitch on a stretcher following a harsh challenge from Chelsea’s Caicedo, who caught him on the ankle with his studs.
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Referee Chris Kavanagh opted to let play continue despite the foul by the Ecuadorian midfielder, but the game was halted shortly after when Cody Gakpo was fouled.
The referee opted against giving Chelsea’s summer signing a yellow card, but VAR reviewed the incident due to its lateness and severity.
Despite the review, VAR didn’t suggest a red card for Caicedo, as per the Liverpool Echo, deeming the challenge reckless rather than a serious foul.
With no grounds for intervention, VAR upheld the on-field decision, allowing play to proceed without further action.
While there’s a case for Caicedo to receive a booking, VAR lacks the authority to rewind play to administer yellow cards.
Thus, Kavanagh’s decision not to caution Caicedo remained unchanged, despite it being his second late challenge, following an earlier foul on Wataru Endo.
While providing commentary on the game for Sky Sports, former Premier League referee Mike Dean said: “I think he’s caught his foot on his [Gravenberch’s] foot.
“It’s a bit like yesterday [Harry Maguire on Sasa Lukic], but not as severe, Chris [Kavanagh] has tried to play on, the second one it’s not a foul.
“For me it could’ve been a caution, or come back to book him, it’s the second foul from Caicedo so he’s treading a fine line.
“I know the VAR can’t inform the referee but tackles like that, he’s seen a foul, tried to play on that’s when you say to the referee: ‘it’s not serious foul play but it’s a yellow card’. It is a yellow card offence, no doubt whatsoever.”
