MARK CLATTENBURG: Man City’s Mateo Kovacic could have seen red not once but twice for rash challenges… and ref Michael Oliver was lucky Arsenal won the game

• IAN LADYMAN: How did VAR not think Kovacic should have been sent off?
• Man City star was fortunate to avoid two red cards in first half against Arsenal
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Mateo Kovacic is a very lucky boy and so is referee Michael Oliver, given Arsenal went on to win regardless of Manchester City keeping all 11 men on the pitch.

Kovacic could have been dismissed not once, but twice.  His first yellow could have been upgraded to red if VAR John Brooks had told Oliver to take a second look at his nasty tackle from behind on Martin Odegaard. 

But when Kovacic then caught Declan Rice late on the ankle, the City midfielder could easily have been shown a second yellow.

Matches between the Big Six can be emotionally charged and full of hot-blooded challenges and that may have been taken into account. 

But Oliver would have been getting some grief over this international break if it hadn’t been for Gabriel Martinelli’s late goal.

Man City midfielder Mateo Kovacic was fortunate to avoid two red cards in the first half

 Kovacic was booked for a nasty tackle from behind on Martin Odegaard in the first-half

Kovacic could have seen red if VAR John Brooks had told Michael Oliver to take a second look 

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