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  "path": "/2026/05/18/premier-league-issue-statement-kai-havertz-avoids-red-card-vicious-foul-28424874/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-05-18T21:30:37.000Z",
  "site": "https://metro.co.uk",
  "tags": [
    "Football",
    "Sport",
    "Arsenal",
    "Gary Neville",
    "Jamie Carragher",
    "Kai Havertz",
    "Patrick Vieira",
    "Burnley",
    "Lesley Ugochukwu",
    "Premier League",
    "Emirates",
    "Crystal Palace",
    "could even win the title on Tuesday night if Manchester City slip up at Bournemouth.",
    "sign up here",
    "pic.twitter.com/O1xCHEX6WI",
    "May 18, 2026",
    "Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source",
    "@SkySportsPL"
  ],
  "textContent": "Kai Havertz may have been lucky to avoid a red card against Burnley (Picture: Getty Images)\n\nGary Neville labelled Kai Havertz’s challenge on Burnley’s Lesley Ugochukwu ‘vicious’ but the Premier League deemed it ‘not to be serious foul play.’\n\nHavertz scored the only goal of the game as Arsenal beat the Clarets 1-0 at the Emirates and kept their Premier League title plans on course.\n\nThe Gunners now know that if they beat Crystal Palace away on Sunday then they will be champions, while they could even win the title on Tuesday night if Manchester City slip up at Bournemouth.\n\nIt was a nervy evening in north London as Arsenal failed to make their dominance really pay and only narrowly got over the line against the already relegated Burnley.\n\n##  Get ready for the World Cup\n\nGet previews of every single team at the World Cup sent directly to your inbox, featuring the players to look out for, games you shouldn’t miss and Metro’s big England predictions. Don't miss out, sign up here.\n\nIt was not without controversy as well, with Havertz narrowly avoiding a red card on 68 minutes.\n\nWell inside the Burnley half Ugochukwu was breaking with the ball and the Arsenal man lunged at him from behind, getting nowhere near the ball and planting his studs into the opponent’s calf.\n\nHavertz was immediately shown a yellow card by the referee and VAR decided not to step in to upgrade it to red.\n\n> \"I don't think that's right…\" Gary Neville REACTS to Kai Havertz's challenge on Ugochukwu's calf. pic.twitter.com/O1xCHEX6WI\n>\n> — Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 18, 2026\n\nA statement from the Premier League Match Centre read: ‘The referee’s call of yellow card to Havertz was checked and confirmed by VAR – with the challenge deemed not to be serious foul play.’\n\nOn commentary for Sky Sports, Gary Neville felt it was a challenge that warranted a red card.\n\n‘I don’t like that,’ he said. ‘I actually think it’s a red, it’s a horrible one and, to be fair, vicious from Havertz.\n\nReferee Paul Tierney showed Havertz a yellow card (Picture: Getty Images)\n\n‘I don’t think that’s right. I think he’s a lucky boy. That is not good. It’s not just the trip, it’s the studs on the standing leg, well above the ball.’\n\nJamie Carragher agreed with his old rival, saying: ‘He’s very lucky, I think the fact that the referee’s got such a good view and gives a yellow card makes it difficult for VAR to go against it.\n\n‘How the referee hasn’t given a red card straight away, I do not know, he can’t have a better view.\n\nHavertz scored the winner on 37 minutes (Picture: Getty Images)\n\n‘It has to be a red card, it should be. The idea will be the force, that will be the one thing that’s saved him. I just struggle to see how you can get away with that with how high it is on the calf.’\n\nArsenal legend Patrick Vieira was the dissenting voice, feeling there was not enough force from Havertz to deserve to be sent off.\n\n‘I think it was the right decision from the referee honestly,’ said the Frenchman. ‘I didn’t think there was enough power for a red card. The yellow card for me was a fair decision.’\n\nComment now Comments \nAdd Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source\n",
  "title": "Premier League issue statement as Kai Havertz avoids red card for ‘vicious’ foul"
}