The Video Assistant Referee checked and cleared a challenge from Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo on Ryan Gravenberch after the Liverpool midfielder was stretchered off.

The Dutchman was on the receiving end of a late tackle from the Londoners summer signing during Sunday’s Carabao Cup final. Referee Chris Kavanagh initially waved play on before Cody Gakpo was brought down soon after, but there was no foul, and subsequently no yellow card was produced.

The ECHO understands that the challenge from the Ecuadorian was deemed to be reckless rather than serious foul play. The Video Assistant Referee saw no reason to intervene; therefore, the on-field decision remained.

While there was no yellow card, VAR can’t bring back play to caution the player. Caicedo remained out of Kavanagh’s book, despite it being his second late challenge of the afternoon after a foul on Wataru Endo in the early exchanges.

Former Premier League referee Mike Dean was alongside Peter Drury, Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher as part of Sky Sports’ commentary team, he said: “I think he’s caught his foot on his (Ryan Gravenberch’s) foot.

“It’s a bit like yesterday (Harry Maguire on Sasa Lukic), but not as severe, Chris (Kavanagh) has tried to play on, the second one it’s not a foul. For me it could’ve been a caution, or come back to book him, it’s the second foul from Caicedo so he’s treading a fine line.

“I know the VAR can’t inform the referee but tackles like that, he’s seen a foul, tried to play on that’s when you say to the referee: ‘it’s not serious foul play but it’s a yellow card’. It is a yellow card offence, no doubt whatsoever.”