ไทย
English
中國人
Andoni Iraola expressed his anger over Ryan Gravenberch's costly red card following Liverpool's 3–0 Premier League loss to Manchester City, arguing that referee Chris Kavanagh handed out several unwarranted yellow cards. The frustrated Basque manager vowed to hold the officiating to that same standard for the rest of the campaign.
Sunday's clash at Anfield was evenly balanced at the 60-minute mark with the scoreline still level, but when Gravenberch received his second yellow card for a deliberate foul on Jérémy Doku, the momentum shifted entirely in City's direction.
Liverpool shipped three goals in just 13 minutes as they fell apart with a man down, though Iraola maintains that Gravenberch's initial booking was far too severe.
"I think the first foul of Ryan is never a yellow card, never," said the Spaniard. "These kinds of games, just a stomp on the big toe, or something minor. He doesn't even call the foul straight away. He lets bit go, I think Elliot Anderson does a couple of steps. He decides to go down. I don't know why after he shows the yellow card, because it's not a situation where it leaves advantage.
"We had nine players behind the ball. It's like they had a lot of, you know, it was in the middle of the pitch, no danger there. And then you put, as a referee, yourself in trouble, and also you put us in trouble."
Iraola's grievances extended beyond that single call. He continued: "Also, at the beginning of the game, yellow card of Ronald [Araújo], I know he complains, he does this. But in these kinds of games, if you are going to start after a handball of [Marc] Guéhi, the punishment is for Ronald complaining.
"You put it straight away at the beginning of the game, the right back with a yellow card. I think you are in the textbooks, yes, perfect. He complains, you can show a yellow card, but then I will be very careful all the season. Every time someone complains, it has to be a yellow card."
Did Gravenberch Deserve to Be Sent Off vs. Man City?
Gravenberch has little grounds to dispute his second booking at Anfield. After pulling back the lightning-quick Doku in the 62nd minute as the winger burst clear toward the Liverpool half, it was a straightforward yellow card.
Regardless of whether the first yellow was justified, Gravenberch's choice to foul Doku is difficult to defend.
That said, the Dutchman has every reason to feel hard done by when it comes to the initial caution.
Gravenberch was cautioned for treading on Anderson's toe in the 47th minute in the center of the park, despite the contact being barely noticeable and his clear attempt to withdraw from the challenge.
Anderson took a few strides before going to ground and clutching his knee, and it was nothing more than a trivial foul of the kind seen repeatedly throughout any given match.
Speaking to Sky Sports, former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher took issue with Kavanagh's choice to book Gravenberch for the first incident.
"I think it's really harsh," said Gallagher. "I think the problem for Chris, in his view, I think he thinks that he clips his knee, but he doesn't. If you look again, he clips his foot.
"I think from Chris's position, he thinks he's clipped his knee, so he thinks it's a high boot and a yellow card. But on reflection, you see the replay, he catches the top of boot. So he's very unlucky."