“That’s what the rules say” – Sky Sports pundits split over refereeing call in Liverpool’s win

“That’s what the rules say” – Sky Sports pundits split over refereeing call in Liverpool’s win

Liverpool maintained their perfect Premier League start with a dramatic 1-0 victory over Burnley on Sunday, Mohamed Salah converting a stoppage-time penalty after Hannibal Mejbri’s handball.

While there was no debate about that decision from referee Michael Oliver, another call later in the match divided opinion in the Sky Sports studio—the second yellow card shown to Burnley’s Lesley Ugochukwu for a reckless challenge on Florian Wirtz.

On Ref Watch, former referee Dermot Gallagher backed Oliver, insisting: “Why make a challenge like that? It’s always going to be a second yellow. That’s what the rules are—sometimes referees have to give decisions they’d rather not.”

But ex-Wolves striker Jay Bothroyd disagreed, saying: “I don’t think that’s enough for a second yellow. If it was his first foul, sure—it’s a booking. But for a dismissal? That’s soft. Wirtz just moved across him. For me, that’s where common sense should come in.”

Some Liverpool fans felt Ugochukwu could have already seen red earlier for a rash first-half tackle on Alexis Mac Allister, which forced the Argentine off at half-time. In that context, his later foul on Wirtz while already booked was reckless, leaving Oliver with little alternative but to send him off.

Overall, the referee appeared to handle the big calls correctly at Turf Moor—also booking Milos Kerkez for a blatant dive, which Jamie Carragher described as “absolutely stupid.” The Hungarian was promptly substituted by Arne Slot to avoid a second yellow, unlike Ugochukwu, who failed to rein himself in and ultimately paid the price.