Quite correct if it was an outfield player but it becomes a different perspective when it's a goalkeeper. As long as the keeper gets the ball then it is perfectly legal, miss the ball though and it's a straight red.
Sorry no, there is no distinction between goalkeepers and outfield players when it comes to Serious Foul Play, here is the extract from the current FA Rule Book (2016):
SENDING-OFF OFFENCES
A player, substitute or substituted player who commits any of the following offences is sent off:
denying the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball (except a goalkeeper within their penalty area)
denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the opponents’ goal by an offence punishable by a free kick (unless as outlined below)
serious foul play
spitting at an opponent or any other person
violent conduct
using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures
receiving a second caution in the same match.
SERIOUS FOUL PLAY
A tackle or challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force or brutality must be sanctioned as serious foul play.
Any player who lunges at an opponent in challenging for the ball from the front, from the side or from behind using one or both legs, with excessive force or endangers the safety of an opponent is guilty of serious foul play.
Therefore, without exception the GK should have received a red card, as would any other player.
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And wasn't there a new ruling that swearing at the ref is a straight red?
82nd minute, after he commits his 5th foul and finally gets a yellow for the foul on Bravo, he tells clattenburg to f*ck off.
It's not a new rule:
using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures has always been a red card. The FA sent out a directive before the start of the new season to 'clamp down' on these type of offences.
Hope this clarifies everything.