Hackett: West Ham star 'very fortunate' to avoid red card v Aston Villa
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West Ham star Edson Alvarez was “very fortunate” not to have been sent off during the 1-1 draw with Aston Villa at Villa Park, according to Keith Hackett.
The former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official and Premier League ref exclusively told Football Insider that referee Peter Bankes was of the opinion that there was an element of doubt around the midfielder stopping a promising attack for the hosts late in the game.
The 27-year-old’s performance was a huge talking point in a game full of controversy – with some suggestion Aston Villa’s Lucas Digne could also have been sent off.
However, Unai Emery’s side picked up another important point with a 1-1 draw after Jacob Ramsey’s opening goal was cancelled out by a header from Emerson Palmieri.
Edson Alvarez avoids clear red card as West Ham draw v Aston Villa
Villa Park saw a hotly-contested affair, and Bankes was forced to be active in his decision-making, but failed to make the right call in this case.
The game’s biggest controversy came as Alvarez stopped a promising Villa counter-attack late in the game by stepping across Boubacar Kamara, bringing him to the ground.
The midfielder had already been booked earlier in the game, and had committed several fouls since, leaving the home crowd convinced he should have seen red.
Graham Potter moved quickly to make a change shortly after the incident, fearing his player would see red after his game-high fifth foul. [Sofascore]
Hackett has now echoed the calls of the home crowd, insisting Alvarez should have been dismissed, and acknowledged the referee had made a mistake.
However, VAR could not play a part in the decision as the rules do not permit them to intervene in the choice not to award a yellow card.
“Alvarez was very fortunate not to receive a second yellow card,” he told Football Insider.
“Referee Peter Bankes, from a good position, decided to keep his cards in his pocket.
“It was a foul and I can only assume that the referee was of the opinion it had some element of doubt about stopping a promising attack.
“It was the referees call and of course the VAR under the criteria cannot come in on a yellow card offence.
“Alvarez in my opinion should have seen red.”
In other news, West Ham well-placed to secure late-January loan move.
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