Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has claimed that referee Simon Hooper made the correct decisions with each of the notable incidents in the game between Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Liverpool prevailed by a 2-1 scoreline at Anfield to re-establish their seven-point lead at the top of the Premier League table.
However, the performance of Hooper generated plenty of attention on social media after he opted against handing Ibrahima Konate a second yellow card in the first half.
After initially being cautioned for a deliberate shirt pull, Konate kicked the ball away a second later, while he also avoided another booking after clattering into Matheus Cunha when challenging for a high ball.
Wolves head coach Vitor Pereira was of the opinion that Konate should have been dismissed, but Gallagher has defended Hooper over both incidents.
"What I say can't change anything, in my opinion it was a second yellow card" 🗣️
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Wolves boss Vitor Pereira shares his opinion on Ibrahima Konate's challenge which saw him avoid a second yellow card. pic.twitter.com/QDI4IOHRde
"It is not a reckless foul"
Speaking on Sky Sports News, Gallagher has claimed that the France international did not stop the resumption of play, nor did he make 'a reckless challenge' on Cunha.
He said: "The referee [Simon Hooper] will argue that he has not delayed the re-start because he has to delay the re-start himself as he has to call Konate in to talk to him and give him the yellow card.
"So Wolves cannot take the free kick in any case. Also, the referee pointed 'two' as if to say you were lucky with the foul, but you've kicked the ball away, so the accumulation is going to be a yellow card anyhow.
"But either way, it is only going to be one yellow card."
On Konate's foul on Cunha, Gallagher added: "I do not think it was a second yellow card - he catches him with his shoulder. It is a foul, but he does not lead with his arm and he does not catch him in the head, but it is not a reckless foul.
"He has to challenge for the ball - if a centre back is not going to do that, your manager will have a right go at him. It is a foul, but it is not reckless."
Liverpool boss Arne Slot revealed after the game that he substituted Konate at half time because he was fearful of the centre-back being sent off.
© Imago
Gallagher defends Jota decision
In the second half, Liverpool thought that they had been awarded a second penalty of the match courtesy of Emmanuel Agbadou upending Diogo Jota.
However, replays showed that Jota initiated the contact and subsequently dived. While VAR overturned the decision, the Portuguese attacker was not booked.
While Gallagher acknowledged that VAR intervened correctly, he felt that Hooper was right to make the original call.
Gallagher said: "It raises a couple of issues. Firstly, the referee was absolutely right to give a penalty - everyone in the ground thought it was a penalty.
"But you see one replay and you see Agbadou didn't play Jota. Jota played Agbadou. The VAR told him that the contact had been initiated by Jota, and asked him to go and have a look."
In regards to Liverpool's first penalty, Gallagher felt that Agbadou should not have been awarded a foul having been eased off the ball by Diaz, it being deemed that the Liverpool winger was then fouled by Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa.
Darren Plant
