Sky Sports pundits slam ‘shocking’ Gravenberch red card decision after City’s 3-0 win

Jamie Carragher has branded the referee’s ruling on Ryan Gravenberch’s dismissal during Liverpool’s 3-0 home defeat to Manchester City as a “shocking decision”.

The Dutch midfielder was the standout performer for an hour before producing a second yellow card in the 0-0 deadlock, earning a sending off for a challenge on Jeremy Doku. That incident became the flashpoint that swung the finely poised match decisively in City’s favour.

City struck almost immediately; Erling Haaland scored two minutes and 37 seconds after the red card, Doku doubled the advantage within six minutes, and Rayan Cherki made it three twelve minutes from the end.

The first caution, issued shortly after the restart for a foul on City midfielder Elliot Anderson, drew Carragher’s ire, with the pundit describing the infraction as a “nothing challenge”.

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Expressing his frustration post-match, Carragher said: “It’s such a poor decision by the referee. The thing that frustrates me is that he wasn’t going to give a yellow card. He only gives it when he thinks Anderson is hurt.”

“That has nothing to do with whether a foul should or should not be a yellow card.”

He added: “It’s barely a foul. It’s a shocking decision.”

Speaking on co-commentary, Carragher highlighted the severity of the sending off. “It feels really harsh when you think of the two challenges,” he said.

“The first one was not a yellow card. It was so harsh for a nothing challenge on Anderson, and the referee was far too quick to get the yellow card out.”

Gary Neville, also providing co-commentary, labelled the second yellow “very soft”, though he noted the tactical risk involved: “The only thing I would say is, knowing you’re on a yellow and wrong side of Doku, does he need to make the challenge? He’s given the referee a dilemma.”

‘Liverpool looked like they had four sent off’

Manchester City registered an expected goals (xG) figure of just 0.16 before the dismissal, but controlled the game completely once Liverpool were reduced to ten men.

Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane argued the sending off changed the complexion of the match, while also criticising Liverpool’s reaction to going short-handed.

“I don’t see how he can get a yellow card for that,” Keane said of the first booking. “The whole game then changes. Liverpool struggled with the physicality. There were spaces everywhere. Liverpool looked like they had four men sent off. City were controlling it. For the first hour it was a tight game.”

Daniel Sturridge concurred, describing the decision to book Gravenberch initially as “a joke”.

“The game changed on the red card. We have to be truthful about that,” Sturridge said on Sky Sports. “City delivered after the red card changed the game. Prior to that, it was very even.”

Micah Richards shared the confusion regarding the first booking the Liverpool midfielder received. “That is soft. How is that a yellow card? I don’t understand,” said Richards.

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