Possible red card: Skipp on Diaz
What happened: In the 33rd minute, Skipp challenged
Luis Diaz on the edge of the area. While the Spurs player got a toe to the ball first, his follow through then caught the Liverpool forward above the ankle. Referee Tierney gave no decision and play continued.
VAR decision: No red card.
VAR review: Tierney obviously saw that Skipp won the ball but completely missed the follow-through contact, and
should have awarded a free kick to Liverpool and showed the yellow card.
On a weekly basis we see similar tackles, where a player is stepping into a challenge, gets the timing slightly wrong and catches the opponent above the boot. It has been consistent throughout the season that these haven't been VAR red cards. To cross the threshold for intervention, the VAR is looking for a player coming in with force, leaving the ground or making contact from behind high above the boot.
Take
Virgil van Dijk's challenge on
Amadou Onana in September, when the Liverpool defender caught Onana higher on the shin after stepping into a challenge. Referee Anthony Taylor issued a yellow card, which wasn't upgraded after a VAR check.
If the referee gives a red card in these situations it won't be overturned, but they haven't been awarded through VAR.
If this challenge had happened a yard further forward on the penalty area line, then it could have been reviewed as a possible penalty, and then Skipp could have been booked. But the VAR is powerless simply to say a yellow card has been missed for a tackle outside the box.