Reason Kovacic escaped red card vs Arsenal after Jones sent off for Liverpool

Sky Sports commentator Gary Neville called the challenge a "needless" one but did admit he didn't think it was a red card. "It’s a needless one, wasn’t clever from Kovacic - he is nowhere near the ball. I don’t think that is a good one at all, he goes right in on his ankle there.

"I don’t like that one. There was one last week that was pretty similar and I thought that was a genuine challenge for the ball, this one to be fair he is not getting there. I think that’s a bad one. I think there is just enough doubt - it wasn’t definitely red, it was orange."

Kovacic then found himself counting his lucky stars after a rash challenge on Declan Rice. The 29-year-old's press was too slow to intercept Rice's pass and the diving tackle led to the Emirates Stadium erupting, calling for a red.

However, referee Oliver was quick to push away any protests from the Arsenal players and Kovacic escaped a second yellow card. "I think he is lucky, very lucky," Neville said on his second challenge.

"I think he gets Declan Rice’s right foot - he does. What is he doing? I think he should be off. It’s madness from (Mateo) Kovacic. Pep Guardiola must be thinking about making a substitution. I think that’s a mistake and Kovacic has to go for that.Rice after a foul during Arsenal vs Man City

Manchester City midfielder Mateo Kovacic was lucky to escape a first-half red card at the Emirates Stadium. The Croatian made two questionable challenges against Arsenal that could have resulted in City being down to 10 men.

The former Chelsea man, who partnered Rico Lewis in Pep Guardiola's midfield pivot, had started the contest in north London in expected fashion with a number of neat passes and decisive interceptions. However, the Premier League holders were fortunate to not have received their second red card of the season when Kovacic gave Michael Oliver two huge decisions to make.

The first came after he lunged into a challenge with Martin Odegaard on the halfway line. Kovacic missed the ball completely and followed through onto Odegaard's right ankle. The midfielder was booked by Oliver after a VAR check, with the officials at Stockley Park not deeming the challenge a dangerous one.

The decision is one that's expected to be discussed in the following days after Liverpool's Curtis Jones had a yellow card upgraded to a red in last week's defeat to Tottenham Hotspur. The midfielder's foot rolled over the ball before connecting with Pape Matar Sarr's leg - a decision that VAR deemed to be a red.

In Kovacic's case, it's likely the decision was different because his challenge was not quite as high on Odegaard's leg to be viewed as 'dangerous play'. However, in slow motion, the challenge does appear to be worthy of a straight red.