Paul Scholes has weighed in on the controversial decision during Arsenal's recent clash with Chelsea, saying that Gabriel should have been shown a red card in the match that ended 2-1.
The incident in question occurred during the first half when Gabriel, attempting to play the ball, caught Chelsea goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez in the head with his foot. Other players blocked the referee's view, and VAR failed to intervene.
Speaking on the podcast The Good, The Bad & The Football, Scholes was clear about his stance:
He should have been sent off. I didn’t notice it at first, but it’s a red card. He raised his foot far too high.
Host Paddy McGuinness pointed out that Gabriel frequently seems to evade punishment, to which Scholes readily agreed:
Yes, that’s true. Some players get treated differently. If I or Nicky Butt committed a foul, we would have been booked. Yet others can commit foul after foul and escape any punishment.
They approach the referee and say, ‘Oh, sorry about that.’ You see? They get away with things that aren’t forgiven for others, and he’s certainly one of those players.
Nicky Butt echoed Scholes' sentiment about the referee's decision:
It was ridiculous. If they don't see that as a sending-off, then I don't understand the purpose of VAR.
Previously, Wayne Rooney had shared a similar opinion on the matter. The former Manchester United and England captain stated on Match of the Day:
At first glance, you almost miss it, but then you watch the slow-motion replay. Martinez has already got the ball in his hands, and Gabriel kicks him in the head. He lifts his foot far too high. He was incredibly lucky to stay on the pitch.
Ashley Young also agreed with this assessment:
When the ball is already with Martinez, Gabriel lifts his foot exceptionally high. I don’t understand why VAR didn’t intervene and how thoroughly they examined the incident. He got away with it.
