Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Harry Siddall

Former Premier League referee clarifies two key incidents in Man City vs Liverpool FC

Dermot Gallagher believes both controversial incidents involving Liverpool's Fabinho and Thiago Alcantara in the match against Manchester City were called correctly by referee Anthony Taylor.

In a tight and tense affair, quick passages of play from both sides led to lots of strong challenges and red card shouts. Mainly from City's players, who were left furious on a couple of occasions that some key decisions did not go their way.

It finished 2-2, with Kevin De Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus giving City the lead twice before being pegged back by Diogo Jota and Sadio Mane. However, it may not have finished that way if the visitors had been on the receiving end of some different decisions by the referee.

Speaking on Sky Sports' Monday morning show, Ref Watch, former Premier League referee Gallagher has provided his take on two key incidents in the second half.

First of all, Gallagher was shown a tackle from Fabinho on Bernardo Silva midway through the second-half after the Portuguese international had skipped past a few challenges.

When asked whether the yellow card he was shown could have possibly been a red, Gallagher said: "No, and I think this is a classic example, if you look at it, it's not a nice tackle.

"It's a yellow card, it's reckless, it doesn't warrant a red card in any game, let alone this game. It wasn't because he let a little bit more go than he should have done, because he let as much go as possible. But, that's a yellow card offence whether it be on a local park - it's the same tackle.

"He wasn't out of control. He's gone into the tackle, he's close to him and it hasn't got the same intensity of someone lunging in from distance."

Anthony Taylor refused to send Thiago (right) off against Man City. (Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)

Moving on to discuss Thiago's challenge on De Bruyne - which was given as a free-kick to Liverpool - the ex-official pointed out that the slight nudge in the back from Rodri will have played a part in the referee's thinking when coming to his decision.

"No, I think there is two issues," Gallagher said when asked if Thiago should have been shown a second yellow card. "Firstly, he's definitely pushed so it causes him to go in and if you look, it's shin on shin. There's no contact with the studs, he hasn't left his boot in to cause damage and it's a result of him being pushed anyway."

Sign up to our City newsletter so you never miss an update from the Etihad Stadium this season.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.