Premier League winners and losers: Kane is back, Ox is struggling

Loser: Red card debate

Thirty-seven minutes into the highly anticipated match between Manchester City and Liverpool match, Sadio Mane chased down a long, bouncing ball from Joel Matip in an attempt to equalize. City’s keeper Ederson quickly came off his line to clear the danger, only to have Mane’s studs rake him across the face. Ederson quickly fell flat and had to be stretchered off while Mane received a red card. Mane clearly only had eyes for the ball and had no intent to injure the keeper, but it was a dangerous play: a high boot with studs showing that landed on a player’s face. There should not be any debate on this. Yet of course there was.

The decision sparked a war between pundits, former players and referees alike. Most sided with the referee’s decision, like former referee Graham Poll, calling it a correct, easy decision, as intent isn’t relevant in the situation. However, others were dumbfounded. Match of the Day host Gary Lineker called the decision rubbish; his reason being that Mane was just trying to flick the ball past the keeper. Gary Neville on Sky Sports described it as ridiculous because Mane’s eyes were on the ball the whole time, which is true, but not in any way meaningful.

There shouldn’t be a debate. It wouldn’t even matter if Ederson was invisible, Mane’s boot was five or six feet in the air with his studs showing and it made clear contact with the opposing player’s face. Intent doesn’t matter. If Mane goes into a tackle the same way on someone’s ankle with the ball on the ground, it’s still an automatic red. The decision is made easier when the contact is on the head. That’s a red card every day of the week.