Liverpool star Sadio Mane was lucky not to receive a red card for elbowing Cesar Azpilicueta, former Chelsea right-back Mario Melchiot has told talkSPORT.

With barely 10 seconds played at Stamford Bridge, the Reds star launched himself into a controversial aerial challenge with the Spaniard.

Mane was perhaps fortunate to be on the pitch after colliding with Azpilicueta

Referee Anthony Taylor believed the clash was only worthy of a yellow card, while VAR did not intervene in the matter.

Luckily for the Liverpool man he remained on the pitch and scored the opener in the thrilling 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge.

Victim Azpilicueta, though, was adamant he shouldn't have been able to do so.

The Spaniard told Sky Sports: "It is a clear red. I don't mind if it is five seconds into the game or the first action.

Azpilicueta was absolutely sure Mane should have been sent off

"He doesn't want to challenge, he doesn't see the ball, he just wanted to lead with the elbow. I don't understand. We are getting these decisions against us that could change the game."

And Melchiot agrees, insisting it was the time of the incident which saved Mane from a harsher punishment.

"The VAR guy, if he looked at the arm of Mane, he could have given him a red card," the ex-Chelsea defender told talkSPORT breakfast.

"The game was early and I understand totally you have to feel the game out, it just kicks off but in moments like that, when I came to England I got a couple of stitches left and right so I've seen enough elbows.

To add insult to injury, Mane found the net in the game to give Liverpool the lead

"He went up and even if he protected himself the way he did it, it wasn't as clean like you would normally go up, so that's why I would say the red card would have been sensible.

"But it was early that's why the referee and the VAR, they would just kind of be looking at the time and saying 'maybe it's too early to kick this off because it's too big of a game'."