EVERTON captain James Tarkowski escaped a red card for a brutal tackle on Alexis Mac Allister just 10 minutes into the Merseyside derby.
The defender won the ball in a slide tackle before crashing into Liverpool's Argentine midfielder.
Soccer player sliding tackle.
James Tarkowski crunched through Alexis Mac Allister
Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister and Everton's James Tarkowski vying for the ball.
Tarkowski's follow through saw his boot planted on Mac Allister's legCredit: Reuters
Soccer game footage showing a player tackled and VAR review.
The incident was looked at by VAR Paul Tierney
Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister reacts after being fouled.
Liverpool's Argentine midfielder was left in agony after the challengeCredit: AP
Referee Sam Barrott immediately brandished a yellow card at Tarkowski.
The incident was subsequently looked at by VAR Paul Tierney.
But to the surprise of many, Tierney did NOT urge Barrott to go and take another look on the monitor.
In a statement posted on social media, the Premier League confirmed: "The referee’s call of yellow card for a reckless foul by Tarkowski was checked by the VAR, with contact on the follow through after Tarkowski had played the ball deemed to be reckless."
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Challenges deemed to be "reckless" by the letter of the law are worthy of a yellow card.
For a red card to be shown, officials must determine the tackle to have been "endangering an opponent" or to have used "excessive force".
After Mac Allister received treatment, Liverpool got the game going again - with Dominik Szoboszlai missing the resulting free-kick.
Former Premier League referee Mike Dean was watching the game for Sky Sports News.
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Reviewing the incident, the 56-year-old said: "The follow through is awful. He hasn't got his leg planted, luckily enough.
"But it's a red card - speed, intensity, force - the lot. He gets the ball but the follow through... it's a terrible challenge.
"For me he (Barrott) should have gone to the screen, should have sent Tarkowski off - 100 per cent."