Former Premier League referee Graham Barber has delivered his verdict on Ryan Gravenberch’s controversial sending-off during Liverpool’s 3–0 defeat to Manchester City.
The former official believes referee Chris Kavanagh was justified in sending off the Liverpool midfielder, although he questioned whether the first yellow card should have been given.
What happened?
Gravenberch was sent off in the 62nd minute at Anfield after receiving two yellow cards. His dismissal proved to be a turning point in a match that had remained goalless until that moment.
The Dutch midfielder received his first yellow card shortly after half-time for a challenge on Manchester City’s Elliot Anderson. The decision was widely criticised, with several pundits arguing that the offence did not warrant a booking.
However, Gravenberch was shown his second yellow card after bringing down Jeremy Doku to stop a promising Manchester City attack.
What did Graham Barber say?
Barber explained that although the sending-off was technically correct, the first booking made the situation particularly controversial.
He noted that referees must carefully consider their decisions when issuing an early yellow card because it can have significant consequences later in the match.
According to Barber, the second challenge was worthy of a yellow card because it stopped a dangerous counterattack. However, he suggested that the debate might have been different if the two incidents had occurred in the opposite order.
The former referee also stressed the importance of ensuring that the first yellow card is justified, as an arguably unnecessary booking can leave a player vulnerable to dismissal.
How did the red card affect Liverpool?
Before his dismissal, Gravenberch had been one of Liverpool’s standout performers, helping the team compete against Pep Guardiola’s side.
His departure left Liverpool with ten players, and Manchester City took advantage almost immediately.
Erling Haaland opened the scoring shortly after the dismissal, before Doku extended City’s lead. Rayan Cherki subsequently added a third goal to complete a damaging afternoon for Liverpool.
The result intensified the debate surrounding the referee’s decisions, particularly the first yellow card that placed Gravenberch at risk of a second booking.
The bottom line: Barber believes the red card was justified under the laws of the game, but the controversy centres on whether Gravenberch should have received his first yellow card in the first place.