Peter Crouch stunned after ‘Dangerous’ Lucas Paqueta footage emerges from West Ham United v Liverpool
Peter Crouch was stunned that Lucas Paqueta avoided a red card for a crunching challenge on Alexis Mac Allister during the West Ham United 2-2 draw with Liverpool.
The Hammers took the lead through Jarrod Bowen’s 20th goal of the season before a second-half turnaround saw the visitors take the lead thanks to Andy Robertson and an own goal, but Michail Antonio headed home an equaliser with 13 minutes remaining to share the honours.
An incident in the first half saw Paqueta escape unpunished for a high tackle on Mac Allister, and while analysing the tackle for TNT Sports at half-time (27 April, 13:32) Crouch admitted he was shocked the Brazilian wasn’t given his marching orders.
“I thought it was going to be a red card or a yellow card, to be honest,” he said.
“Listen I don’t know what the rules are anymore but when you’re out of control like that, reckless. You get sent off if you raise your hand and flick someone on the nose, so for a tackle like that it warrants a red card in my opinion.”
Host Lynsey Hipgrave then shared that VAR “didn’t deem it to be a clear and obvious error from the on-field officials” and with “the short distance, didn’t feel it was excessive force”.
That led to Crouch calling the tackle “dangerous” and comparing it to another incident earlier in the week during the Arsenal vs Chelsea game.
“Listen I’m not for getting players sent off, but Nicolas Jackson had one and you can get sent off for a lot less. It feels like a dangerous, reckless tackle to me.”
Lucas Paqueta is a lucky, lucky boy
There aren’t two ways to go about it, but Paqueta and West Ham were very lucky not to see a red card during the game for this tackle.
It’s clear that there was no ill intent in the tackle and Paqueta mistimes it, but he catches Mac Allister high up on the ankle and makes zero contact with the ball. It should have been a straight red.
This is further evidence that VAR is a gimmick at this point because much like the Jackson incident in midweek that Crouch referenced, it was a clear decision to make.
The referee and VAR should be working to get decisions correct, whether they’re the initial decision the on-field official makes or not, but it seems they just don’t want to embarrass each other.
Liverpool will have every right to be angry about the decision, but Paqueta and the Hammers have also been on the end of some bad calls themselves this season. VAR needs fixing, and quickly.
In other West Ham news, one out-of-work boss has held talks with both the Hammers and a European giant about the manager’s job.
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