KAI HAVERTZ wrongly escaped a red card shortly before his Arsenal winner against Brentford, a review panel has confirmed.
Bees’ manager Thomas Frank and many fans were furious Havertz did not get a second yellow card for diving on March 9.
Now the Key Match Incidents (KMI) panel has agreed – deciding Havertz should have been booked for “a clear act of simulation”.
The frontman went on to head the Gunners back to the top of the Premier League via a late 2-1 victory at the Emirates.
Frank led the shocked reaction over referee Rob Jones failing to send the in-form ace off.
The Dane said: “I actually don’t think Havertz should be on the pitch when he scored the goal.
“For me it was a clear dive when it was a penalty shout. If you see it back slowly it’s clear.
“Maybe it’s difficult for the ref but the linesman should have seen it, in my opinion.”
Havertz had already been booked for elbowing Kristoffer Ajer.
He then tumbled dramatically when Brentford defender Nathan Collins challenged him in the box.
Replays later backed up claims from Bees’ players that Collins had made NO contact with Havertz.
A flood of fans on social media were just as aggrieved that the £65million star remained on – especially as he soon nodded a decisive goal.
Now The Times say an independent KMI body, whose job is to assess major decisions in games, has agreed the ex-Chelsea attacker should have been penalised.
One fan posted: “That was a very clear dive and if it were to be a Brentford player in that position he would have been shown a red easily.”
Another wrote: “Pretty sure almost everyone agrees except Arsenal supporters.”
But some viewers claimed the Gunners should have been awarded two penalties in the same match.
