Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola expressed his anger at being prevented from making three substitutions earlier in Saturday’s 2‑2 Premier League draw against Nottingham Forest.
With the game level at 1‑1 during the second half at Anfield, Iraola wanted to bring on Ryan Gravenberch, Kostas Tsimikas and Rio Ngumoha.
However, despite the ball going out of play three times, the players were left waiting on the sideline as fourth official Tim Robinson had problems with the substitution board.
The delay proved especially costly: on the third stoppage, instead of stopping for the changes, Forest launched a quick throw‑in, won a penalty and regained the lead. The penalty followed a run by Forest wing‑back Neco Williams, who was caught by goalkeeper Alisson as he lifted a shot goalwards; the ball drifted wide, prompting referee Samuel Barrott to award the spot kick.
Iraola, speaking to BBC Match of the Day, addressed both the penalty and the substitution issue: “With the penalty, the situation has already finished when the contact appears. And it’s not an aggressive contact,” he said. He added, “But more than this we complained about the subs. We had to wait about three minutes. He was having an issue with the board, I don’t know if it was not working, but we definitely wanted to do the subs the last two or three stoppages before the goal. It wasn’t just that reason but everything helps.”
Speaking to TNT Sports, he reiterated his frustration: “A professional fourth official cannot take three minutes. We’d already given him the subs two or three minutes before. I was already angry because in the previous stoppage we couldn’t make the subs and then before throw‑in I thought we could do it. I don’t know, they will have to explain it. But it has taken ages.”
