Fabian Schar was lucky to avoid punishment after a controversial incident at a corner in Newcastle’s 4-1 win over Manchester United on Sunday, Keith Hackett has said.
The ex-PGMOL chief and former FIFA official exclusively told Football Insider that players from both sides should have been punished after Schar was at the centre of pushing and shoving in the United box.
Newcastle had been pegged back by the visitors after Sandro Tonali’s well-taken opener on the volley, with Alejandro Garnacho finishing off a rapid-fire counter-attack for the Red Devils in the 37th minute.
However, despite Eddie Howe being absent from St. James’ Park due to illness, Newcastle hit their stride in the second half, with a Harvey Barnes brace and Bruno Guimaraes’ goal sealing the victory.
Chris Kavanagh loses control in Newcastle v Man United
Although the Magpies soared into a healthy lead to claim the points in the second half at St. James’, the first was still in the balance when Schar came forward for a Newcastle corner in the 43rd minute.
Getting touch-tight in the box with young Man United left-back Harry Amass, Schar’s presence saw Leny Yoro wade in to also throw his weight around, eventually shoving the Newcastle defender to the floor.
Schar got back to his feet to protest his innocence, as did Amass and Yoro, but it was only the latter who Kavanagh showed a yellow card to before the corner was taken, despite the Swiss being the instigator.
Hackett believes that having done his best to deal with the incident by booking Yoro, Chris Kavanagh should have gone a step further by also carding Schar, in an effort to cut out the wrestling altogether.
Newcastle’s Schar lucky to avoid yellow card – Keith Hackett
Speaking to Football Insider about Kavanagh’s decision to book Yoro but refrain from doing likewise to either Schar or Amass, the former Premier League and FIFA referee said:
Referee [Chris] Kavanagh had delayed the taking of the corner kick to have words with both Newcastle United and Manchester United players”, Hackett told Football Insider.
“The conflict continued, and he went in once again and raised a yellow card; to Manchester United’s Leny Yoro.
“He should have also raised a yellow card to the Newcastle player [Schar] to underpin his message that the wrestling has to stop.”
Schar playing the remaining 47 minutes (plus injury time) at St. James’ Park while on a yellow card could have given the game an entirely different complexion, particularly with the visitors’ pace on the break.
Instead, errors from key men at the back left Man United vulnerable to Newcastle’s clinical frontline, leaving them in the driving seat seat to secure Champions League football with a comfortable win.
