Marcel Sabitzer avoids ‘clear red’ and isn’t even booked despite trying ‘to do someone’

On Feb 19, 2023

Graeme Souness was livid on Sky Sports after Marcel Sabitzer escaped without as much as a booking after a wincingly high challenge on Wout Faes during Leicester’s trip to Old Trafford.

As Fred took aim from distance, the ball hit Marcus Rashford and rebounded into the air. As it bounced down, both Faes and Sabitzer challenged for the ball but the Leicester player was lucky to come away unscathed after the Bayern Munich loanee challenged him for the ball.

During the half-time break, Graeme Souness said on Sky Sports whether Manchester United were lucky to still have 11 men on the pitch: “100%, I think this is a red card for several reasons.

“For a start, he’s partly to blame because he’s on his heels, Faes, when this ball break from him not being alive to it, but that, Sabitzer has turned side-on to him, and that’s a classic case of if you’re going to go and do someone, that’s how you do it. You turn side-on. If he makes contact with the ball, what’s he going to do with the ball?

Do you think Sabitzer should have been shown red for his challenge on Faes? Let us know in the comments section below

Souness couldn’t believe Sabitzer walked away without a booking
(Image: INTERENET PICTURE)

“He’s looking at the player. I don’t care what some referee who’s never played the game has to say on that, that is a sending-off. If that’s not dangerous play, what is?

“Ask any professional footballer, he’s turned side-on, that’s a classic case of setting yourself up to do someone.”

Leicester City fans were quick to take to Twitter in shared anger. @Iyke_d_Maverick wrote: “This ref is a fraud. How has Sabitzer escaped a red and yellow card challenge, but he booked Mendy for a nothing challenge?”

@jaymartin17 tweeted: “Attwell man, threshold for bookings for Leicester and United players are very different. Mendy gets booked for a fair tackle and Sabitzer avoids a yellow when it should have been red.”