“CHEATS! CHEATS!” — Anfield erupted after Gravenberch’s dismissal: did the referee ruin Liverpool’s game?
“CHEATS! CHEATS! CHEATS! CHEATS!” — those were the chants that rang out around Anfield after the referee sent off Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch in the sixth-round Premier League clash against Manchester City.
In the 62nd minute, the Dutchman committed a foul in the middle of the pitch on Jérémy Doku. The referee showed the player a second yellow card, which automatically became a red. Liverpool were left a man down at a hugely tense moment in the match.
The decision sparked a furious reaction from the stands. The home fans were enraged by the referee’s verdict and began chanting accusations at the officials. For Liverpool, the dismissal was a major blow, while Manchester City were handed the chance to exploit the open space and their numerical advantage.
The consequences followed swiftly: after Gravenberch’s dismissal, the visitors scored twice. Erling Haaland struck first, before Jérémy Doku added his name to the scoresheet.
Jan Novak
Dailysports's expert
