Abdukodir Khusanov's escape from a red card in Manchester City's Carabao Cup quarter-final clash against Brentford has ignited a major debate among fans and pundits alike. The incident occurred in the 16th minute when Khusanov brought down Brentford's Kevin Schade with an aggressive challenge just outside the box, preventing what appeared to be a clear goal-scoring opportunity. Referee Darren England only issued a yellow card, prompting immediate protests from Brentford players.

The primary reason Khusanov wasn't sent off boils down to the interpretation of the Laws of the Game and the absence of VAR. Law 12 of the IFAB Laws of the Game dictates that a player should be sent off if they deny the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by committing a handball offence or a foul.

Former Manchester City defender Andy Hinchcliffe, commentating on Sky Sports, stated his belief that it should have been a red card, arguing that Schade was clearly through on goal and a covering defender wouldn't have been able to intervene. He described Khusanov's defending as poor.

However, the referee's decision likely hinged on a few factors. Firstly, while Schade was through on goal, the exact location of the foul, just outside the penalty area, might have influenced the decision. Referees often consider the distance to goal and the presence of potential covering defenders, even if Hinchcliffe deemed them unlikely to stop Schade. Secondly, the referee might have judged that while a goal-scoring opportunity existed, it wasn't "obvious" enough to warrant a red card. This is a subjective assessment, and opinions invariably differ.

Adding another layer to the controversy is the lack of VAR in the Carabao Cup until the semi-final stage. This is because the technology is only available at Premier League grounds, and with League One side Cardiff City potentially in the quarter-finals, the EFL stipulated that VAR would not be used to ensure a level playing field. Had VAR been in use, it's highly probable that the incident would have been reviewed, and the referee might have been advised to overturn his decision.

The debate surrounding Khusanov's challenge highlights the ongoing discussions about the interpretation of the "denial of a goal-scoring opportunity" rule and the impact of VAR on officiating. While some argue that the lack of VAR created a fairer competition for all clubs in the earlier rounds, others point to instances like this as evidence that the technology is essential to ensure correct decisions are made, especially in crucial moments of a match. Without VAR to correct the on-field decision, Khusanov remained on the pitch, and Man City avoided playing with ten men.

Ultimately, whether or not Khusanov should have been sent off remains a matter of opinion. However, the actual reason he wasn't is a combination of the referee's interpretation of the Laws of the Game in real-time and the absence of VAR to potentially overturn that decision. The incident serves as another reminder of the complexities and controversies that can arise in football officiating.