http://www.d1g.com/video/show/1673324

This is a case of that. Look, the Everton player made a meal of it and there wasn’t even much contact. Mikel came in from the front and with only one foot. This wasn’t a scissors tackle or anything else that dangerous, it was the same as a lot of tackles I’ve seen that only get yellow cards.

The only, and I repeat, only reasons Mikel got sent off was because of his reputation and because referees have been instructed to crack down and take a no-tolerance policy towards these challenges, when they should be looked at on a case-by-case basis.

My estimation is that Mikel was sent off not just because his studs were showing but also because his challenge was high and it did not appear to be a “reasonable” attempt at winning the ball. Reputation certainly could have played a part but quite simply the lad does not know how to tackle in accordance with the rules of the game. As a player you have to know that when you go to ground and attempt a slide tackle that there is an element of timing that you have to get spot on or you run the risk of committing a foul.

The official has the discretion to deem an action like Mikel’s as dangerous play, which it was. Neville could easily have had his ankle broken had he not reacted as quickly as he did. The FIFA laws of the game state:

A player, substitute or substituted player is sent off and shown the red
card if he commits any of the following seven offences:
1. is guilty of serious foul play
2. is guilty of violent conduct
3. spits at an opponent or any other person
4. denies the opposing team a goal or an obvious goalscoring opportunity
by deliberately handling the ball (this does not apply to a
goalkeeper within his own penalty area)
5. denies an obvious goalscoring opportunity to an opponent moving
towards the player’s goal by an offence punishable by a free kick
or a penalty kick
6. uses offensive or insulting or abusive language and/or gestures
7. receives a second caution in the same match

A further clarification states that: “A tackle, which endangers the safety of an opponent, must be sanctioned as serious foul play.”

Do officials get calls wrong? Certainly. There were two calls in the FA Cup that I can think of (Ispwich and Burnley players being sent off ) that replays showed were “incorrect” calls. As it stands currently, officials are tasked with making split second judgements without the benefit of replays. Introducing video replays is debatable because I’ve seen tackles that looked worse (as well as less offensive) when they were slowed down or shown from a different angle in a replay.