What the Ryan Gravenberch sending-off really says about the Premier League
Peter Schmeichel and a handful of Viaplay pundits called out referee Chris Kavanagh's decision to award Ryan Gravenberch a second yellow card against Manchester City. The Dutchman was handed his marching orders in the second half of action against the table-toppers after aninnocuous challenge against Jeremy Doku.
The Sky Blues secured a 3-0 victory over their Premier League rivals following the former Bayern star's dismissal. Freddie Ljungberg:"I think it's very harsh… Definitely, it's a free-kick, no question about it.
But that does not have to be a second yellow in this fixture… I think that's very unfair." Jaap Stam:"This one, for me, is definitely not a second card. Instead, in a fixture carrying an undercurrent of controversy and heat, Kavanagh made the, quite frankly insane, decision to hand the visitors a clear route to victory.
Ironic, really, given that there was an opportunity for Enzo Maresca's men to have won the tie fairly". How typical of City that even when the opportunity presents itself to do things the right way, they're still given the opportunity to benefit from questionable decision-making.
Given the context of the City verdict, Kavanaghcannotbe caught holding a whistle within a 32-mile radius of Anfield. It's absolutely obscene that neither Pro Ref, the Premier League, nor, indeed, the referee himself, opts not to protect the Englishman and recuse him from the fixture.
By no means are we accusing the 41-year-old of being 'bent' or 'bought'. But the decision to banish Ryan Gravenberch from the pitch, for a challenge that really could have been overlooked, will now attract further suspicion at a time when City are already under the microscope for their illicit activity.
There was no need, in amongst all of this, to add fuel to the fire by sticking with the appointment of a referee from Greater Manchester. And given this weapons-grade naivety, it's far from surprising that the Premier League has found itself in this mess to begin with.
The Premier League's decision-makers have a lot of work to do to prove - and not just to Liverpool fans - that they're capable of competent decision-making.