Iraola and Carragher slam Gravenberch red card in Man City defeat
Liverpool's 3-0 home defeat to Manchester City has been overshadowed by fury at referee Chris Kavanagh's decision to send off Ryan Gravenberch, with manager Andoni Iraola and pundit Jamie Carragher among those lining up to criticise the call.
Liverpool.com reports that Jamie Carragher "blasted" the decision, arguing the sending off proved to be a turning point in the match (Liverpool.com), while Sky Sports quotes Carragher describing it as a "shocking decision" and adding it was "barely a foul" by Gravenberch (Sky Sports). Iraola was just as unimpressed, with This Is Anfield reporting his view that it was "never a yellow card", let alone a red (This Is Anfield). The BBC similarly quotes the Liverpool boss saying "I didn't like the refereeing", confirming he disagreed with the dismissal (BBC Sport).
The Liverpool Echo adds further detail, reporting that Iraola also pointed the finger at Elliot Anderson in his post-match comments, suggesting City's player had a role in how the incident unfolded, with the sending off coming in the second half before City went on to win 3-0 (Liverpool Echo).
Beyond the red card itself, Liverpool.com's talking points piece notes this was Liverpool's first game since "the guilty verdict was issued", and describes the home crowd's reaction as angry, with Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki all on the scoresheet for City. The piece also flags a "familiar question" facing Andoni Iraola following the heavy loss (Liverpool.com).
On the injury front, Liverpool.com reports that Iraola gave a "blunt" update after the match, with Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai all missing from the squad for the Man City game (Liverpool.com). This Is Anfield adds that the head coach has admitted injury returns are unlikely in time for Liverpool's upcoming midweek fixture (This Is Anfield), suggesting the squad problems will persist beyond the City defeat.
Taken together, the outlets are broadly united in portraying the Gravenberch red card as harsh and pivotal, with Iraola and Carragher both using strong language to condemn Kavanagh's decision, while the wider picture painted by Liverpool.com and This Is Anfield points to a club dealing with both refereeing frustration and a growing injury list heading into their next match.
Written with the help of AI, using the headlines from the publishers credited above. Each point links to the original report — tap the source name to read it in full.