Die ding het behoorlik geruk at City Ground in the UK on Saturday, where Liverpool scored a 99th minute winner to beat hosts Nottingham Forest 1-0 in the Premier League.
Darwin Nunez’s 99th-minute header left a shattered Forest four points above the relegation zone in 17th and Liverpool at the top of the standings.
But it was how he got his goal that had the hosts seeing red at the final whistle.
Forest were in possession of the ball when play was halted in the 96th for a head injury to Ibrahima Konate. Forest were in possession of the ball when play was stopped, but it was Liverpool who got the uncontested drop ball from the restart.
Sky Sports reports that IFAB law 8.2 states “the referee drops the ball for one player of the team that last touched the ball at the position where it last touched a player”.
The Reds went on to get a corner from the resulting movement and Nunez klapped.
When referee Paul Tierney blew the final whistle, Forest staff went bos and surrounded him. Coach Steven Reid was then shown a red card, while it was also reported by BBC 5Live that owner Evangelos Marinakis had to be removed by security after chasing the ref down the tunnel.
Asked about the disappointment, Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo says: “I will not comment on the referee.
“Please don’t insist on that, it will not be good. It will be a discussion point, for sure, in the week. I hope the decisions will be better.”
Reds coach Jurgen Klopp, though, says: “It happened exactly the same in the first half didn’t it? Exactly the same, just the other way round...
“If it didn’t happen in the first half, I would have asked the question as well…”
Earlier in the game, Tierney halted a Liverpool attack after Forest captain Ryan Yates was felled by Harvey Elliott’s shot and play resumed with goalkeeper Matz Sels taking possession.
As it were, the Reds bagged a crucial three points.
dailyvoice@inl.co.za