Patched Tube

Yeah, different sporting cultures and all that. I get it. But you know how it is; as an American you see someone touch an official and the gut reaction is "WTF?!". Add in the particular present social context of a male player doing it to a female official and... not good. Regarding the later point, if touching an official was an automatic sanction you solve the problem pretty easily.

I've seen players touch officials myself and it always makes me cringe. I've never understood why they tolerate it. That said its not the norm; it doesn't happen on every call. In my view its a not so subtle attempt to sway the official by intimidation. Like I said above - should be an automatic straight red.

https://twitter.com/TrollFootball/status/1317889403667116032?s=20

Putting your meat hooks on an official should be a an automatic red.

Lovely touch by Shaw there...

But wasn't that a pretty goal by Salah?

After much argle bargle it appears that 1) the decision was wrong and it was a straight red and 2) we can blame it on VAR. RE: 2, I can only applaud the leagues consistency

An explanation even if seems a bit lame.

The missing piece needed to send them straight to the top of the table.

MBE= "Maybe Beat Everton"?

That was... interesting. After MCs terrible start I was ready to hand Liverpool the league and just get it over with but wow. Some truly bizarre games already this season and I really have to wonder if the summer run, late start and fixture traffic jam isn't adding an element of chaos to the season. In truth I'm kind of enjoying it. Everton on top of the table and relegation bound West Ham sitting in tenth. Good stuff really.

I know somebody in London who follows Fulham and I feel badly for him right now.

MUs "12th man" doing a lot of work today but got them over the line.

Can't argue with much of that. I wonder how things will look come January.