What goes around comes around and all that.....
tackle on fellow midfielder Damien Francis.
The City player collapsed in agony holding his thigh after a dreadful over-the-top challenge from the German international at Anfield.
The incident, during the early stages of the second half, prompted a brief melee before order was restored and ended with experienced referee Alan Wiley issuing a yellow card to Hamann.
TV pundits on both BBC and Sky Sports were united in their opinion that it should have been red.
"It was a look away moment," said former Liverpool defender Mark Lawrensen during the BBC Match of the Day analysis of the game on Saturday night.
"Damien Francis is very lucky that he didn't break his leg. There can be absolutely no doubt that it should have been a straight red card."
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Peter Schmeichel said it was ridiculous that the challenge was worthy of the same punishment as over-celebrating a goal, with Aston Villa's Lee Hendrie the latest player to fall victim of that clampdown at the weekend.
Dominic Fifield at Stamford BridgeChelsea left frustrated by the untouchables of Liverpool Dominic Fifield at Stamford Bridge Wednesday December 7, 2005 The Guardian "All sequences come to an end eventually," Rafael Ben'tez had offered in the build...
"It's the sort of thing that referees should be clamping down on," he said.
"We want to see players celebrating goals.
"We don't want to see tackles like that."
Fortunately, Francis escaped injury and was able to continue after treatment.
"Dietmar Hamann is very lucky that should be a sending-off offence. It was a terrible tackle.
"Francis is lucky he's not seriously injured.
"Hamann has been let off very lightly. It was right over the top."
It was a view echoed on last night's Match of the Day 2.
Gordon Strachan told viewers: "I don't think Dietmar Hamann will be proud of that the picture says it all."
Alan Curbishley added: "The referee is in a good position. I'm a bit surprised he hasn't shown a red card."
