Carragher blasted by Souness and Hasslebaink over Mane elbow as Chelsea legend says ‘have you got your red hat on?’
JAMIE CARRAGHER was torn apart by Graeme Souness and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink after he suggested Sadio Mane should NOT have been sent off against Chelsea.
Mane appeared to elbow Cesar Azpilicueta seconds into the contest when the pair challenged for an aerial ball, but referee Anthony Taylor only gave him a yellow card.
And Carragher said of the incident on Sky Sports after the match: “I think that’s one of those ones that fall into the orange category.
“I think if it’s the point of the elbow that gets him rather than his forearm he’s going off.
“I think it’s the fact it’s closer to his wrist than his elbow, and the fact it’s six seconds in, that saves him.
“It’s one of those that’s worse than a yellow but I don’t think it’s quite a red.
Hasselbaink hit back in response: “Are you serious!? Have you got your red hat on or just your football hat on?
“Forget about six seconds, it’s endangering the player, he goes with his elbow.
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“It doesn’t matter where he catches him, he’s going for him. He does that, whack. If he jumps and makes himself big then okay but he doesn’t do that.
And Souness agreed, adding: Sending off. I think he leads with the elbow, it’s dangerous, it’s violent.
“Look where the ball is when he (Mane) hits him (Azpilicueta). The ball is nowhere near him when he hits him. Smack, where’s the ball?”
“He hits him with his wrist, not his elbow,” Carragher interjected.
Souness responded: “Jamie, you can’t be that precise and say ‘I’m only going to hit him with my wrist’.
“It doesn’t matter, if you’re leading with that (your arm) it’s a sending off.”
Azpilicueta felt Mane deserved to be sent off, arguing it did not matter that the incident occurred early on in his post-match interview.
Thomas Tuchel agreed with the view of his captain and the German likely would have been even more annoyed after Mane rounded Edouard Mendy to score minutes later.
Mo Salah doubled Liverpool’s lead soon after but Chelsea fought back to draw 2-2 with Mateo Kovacic scoring a goal of the season contender.
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