Alious
Wolves’ head coach Vítor Pereira did not hold back in expressing his frustration over a controversial refereeing decision during his team’s narrow 2-1 loss to Liverpool at Anfield. The Premier League leaders were pushed to the limit by a determined Wolves side, but a key moment involving Ibrahima Konaté left Pereira questioning whether the French defender should have been sent off.
Liverpool took control early, with Luis Díaz and Mohamed Salah scoring in the first half. However, Matheus Cunha’s second-half goal gave Wolves a lifeline, making for a tense finish. Yet, the game’s biggest talking point emerged when Konaté, already on a yellow card for a mistimed aerial challenge, committed another foul near the box. Wolves players and coaching staff were adamant he deserved a second booking, but the referee opted against it.
Recognizing the danger, Liverpool boss Arne Slot made a decisive halftime change, substituting Konaté for Jarell Quansah. While the decision ensured Liverpool maintained 11 men on the pitch, Pereira remained firm in his belief that the center-back should not have finished the game.
“I’m not the referee, but yes, in my opinion, that should have been a second yellow,” Pereira stated. “Nothing can be changed now, but I believe he should have been sent off.”
Opinions on the matter were split. Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher defended the decision to let Konaté stay on, calling it a “stupid challenge” but not one worthy of a booking. “It’s just two players going for a header, and one mistimes it,” Carragher said on Sky Sports. “He just misjudged it—it was a daft challenge, but not a yellow.”
Despite Pereira’s protests, Slot admitted he removed Konaté out of caution, fearing the defender would eventually see red. “I subbed him off because I saw what was happening,” Slot explained. “The first yellow was soft, and the second could have been for something just as minor. Once a player is in that situation, they and the referee are under pressure, and the next foul could mean a sending-off. Against a strong Wolves side, we couldn’t take that risk.”
With Liverpool battling to maintain their grip on the title race, the result keeps them at the top, while Wolves will take some positives from their spirited performance. However, Pereira’s comments highlight lingering frustrations over what could have been a game-changing moment at Anfield.
Alious
