Luiz tackle a 'red card plus'
Former Liverpool midfielder Graeme Souness says that David Luiz's challenge on Sead Kolasinac was more than worthy of a red card and argues that the Brazilian could even have seen red earlier in the game.
Luiz was sent off in the 87th minute of the game between Arsenal and Chelsea after jumping into a challenge with Sead Kolasinac with his studs raised but Souness argues that the former PSG defender should have been sent off earlier because of a high boot on Laurent Koscielny.
Luiz was booked in the 52nd minute after catching Koscielny in the face as he looked to perform an overhead kick in a packed penalty box. Souness, for his part, drew comparisons between that challenge and the one committed by Sadio Mane on Ederson last weekend which saw the forward dismissed.
"I'm struggling to understand why this is seen differently to Sadio Mane's one," Souness told 'Sky Sports'.
"He's gone for the ball, he's endangering an opposition player and I think that's a red. The fact he's in the six-yard box, he'll be aware that he's around bodies.
"I think if you're raising your foot high whether it's an overhead kick or not, you're risking a red card. I think it's a red card."
When Luiz was eventually given his marching orders after 87 minutes, there was no doubt about the decision in Souness' mind, with for former Middlesbrough man describing it as a 'red card plus'.
"It's reckless. The game is 0-0, he's frustrated, he hasn't had a good day but that is a leg breaker. It's a red card plus," he explained.
Fellow 'Sky Sports' pundit Thierry Henry was in agreement, saying: "He wanted to be clever, but he got caught. He could play back to the goalkeeper but he's inviting pressure because he loves to play.
"He's upset with Alexis Sanchez, he barges him out of the way and forgets to play football. Because he's upset with Sanchez, he takes his frustration out on Kolasinac. It's a red, no doubt."