Alious
Liverpool under Arne Slot delivered a commanding statement at Anfield on Saturday, securing a 2–0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion thanks to a brace from Hugo Ekitike either side of half-time. While the result strengthened the Reds’ momentum, controversy followed a first-half incident that former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett believes was badly misjudged by officials.
The defending Premier League champions could not have asked for a better start. Inside the opening minute, Brighton failed to clear their lines as Yankuba Minteh hesitated, allowing Joe Gomez to nod the ball into danger. Ekitike reacted quickest, firing past Bart Verbruggen just 46 seconds into the contest.
Brighton struggled to respond, and Liverpool remained in control throughout. Ekitike struck again before the break, finishing off a pinpoint delivery from Mohamed Salah, who had been introduced to a rousing reception from the Anfield crowd. The Seagulls offered little threat in reply, but debate centred on whether they should have been reduced to ten men before half-time.
Hackett criticises yellow-card call
Just before the interval, Brighton midfielder Diego Gomez lunged into a challenge on Florian Wirtz, catching the Liverpool man high with his studs. Referee Craig Pawson opted to show a yellow card, a decision later reviewed and upheld by VAR.
The Premier League Match Centre confirmed the ruling, stating that the challenge did not involve excessive force and therefore did not meet the threshold for serious foul play.
Hackett strongly disagreed.
“In my view, Gomez was extremely fortunate to remain on the pitch,” he told Football Insider. “His boot was high, he went in with momentum, and the challenge endangered the safety of an opponent. That should have been a red card, not a yellow.”
The former referees’ chief also questioned VAR’s involvement, suggesting Pawson should have been sent to the pitchside monitor. “Why wasn’t the referee invited to take a second look? We need to seriously rethink how VAR is applied and widen the criteria for intervention,” Hackett added.
Clattenburg offers opposing view
Despite the controversy, Gomez’s survival had little impact on the final scoreline as Liverpool cruised to victory. However, the midfielder nearly altered the narrative early in the second half with a close effort.
Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg offered a contrasting assessment, backing the officials’ decision to keep the booking. He argued that while the challenge looked severe in slow motion, it failed to meet the full criteria for a red card.
“Wirtz is caught after the ball is played, and it’s deemed dangerous play,” Clattenburg explained. “For a red card, you need speed, force and malice. In this case, not all those elements were present.”
Clattenburg added that Gomez was only a split second away from cleanly playing the ball, reducing the likelihood of intent.
Liverpool’s focus now shifts back to their festive schedule, with testing fixtures against Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers coming either side of Christmas, as Slot’s side continue to push forward despite the lingering debate over officiating standards.
Alious
