Referee Stuart Attwell was at the centre of yet another VAR controversy on Sunday afternoon.
During Chelsea's Premier League fixture against Tottenham Hotspur, Hakim Ziyech looked to have been given his marching orders.
Just before half-time there was an altercation between players from both sides and the 29-year-old appeared to be punished for raising his hands towards Emerson Royal after on-field official Attwell received advice from experienced assistant referee Darren Cann.
Attwell brandished a red card at Ziyech only for the Chelsea winger to be told not to go straight down the tunnel by fourth official Chris Kavanagh.
The on-field referee then watched the incident back on the pitchside monitor after receiving advice from VAR Paul Tierney and decided to give Ziyech a yellow card rather than a red, leaving players, officials and fans confused.
Referees usually take a look at the incident before deciding on any punishment but Attwell sent Ziyech off and then reviewed the incident using the pitchside monitor.
The incident occurred when Kai Havertz fouled Richarlison. Ziyech also put in a late challenge on Richarlison in the same incident which led to both sets of players clashing.
Royal then appeared to shove Ziyech which led to the Morocco international raising his hands in the direction of the Tottenham right-back.
Royal, 24, held his face as if that's where Ziyech made contact but replays showed it was around his shoulder area.
Attwell appeared to make the right decision in the end but took the right steps in an unusual order.
A look at IFAB's Laws of the Game 2022-23 is helpful here:
“Violent conduct is when a player uses or attempts to use excessive force or brutality against an opponent when not challenging for the ball, or against a team-mate, team official, match official, spectator or any other person, regardless of whether contact is made.
In addition, a player who, when not challenging for the ball, deliberately strikes an opponent or any other person on the head or face with the hand or arm, is guilty of violent conduct unless the force used was negligible.”
A yellow card was the right punishment on this occasion as contact was made below Royal's face, despite the Tottenham defender feigning injury in that area.
Former Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink said Ziyech was lucky that Attwell reversed the decision.
He said on Sky Sports: “He's a little bit lucky, another referee on a different day may not have switched it around.”
(Photo: Getty Images)