Alisson: Liverpool goalkeeper controversy may see referee get sacked – Ex-Fifa official
The two overturned red cards shown to Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson as Brazil drew 1-1 with Ecuador last week (27 January) duty may see the referee sacked, according to Keith Hackett.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee claimed both decisions by the on-field official were “unacceptable” at the international level.
Alisson was initially sent off for a high boot after challenging for a loose ball on the half-hour mark before it was overturned by VAR.
In stoppage time at the end of the game, he was also given his marching orders for punching his opponent, again while challenging for a loose ball.
“Let’s look at the first one, he’s come out and his foot is very high but it is the opposition player who has run into him,” Hackett said after analysing the footage with Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“It’s not him. When he raised his foot in a dangerous position there was no player around him so there was justification to overturn that.
“On the second one, I think the referee is wrong to send him off. He’s come out and effectively punched the ball.
“On both occasions, they’ve got the right outcome but how they got there is frankly, for an experienced referee, unacceptable.
“If you’re going to dismiss a player there’s not got to be an element of doubt.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if this particular referee was on a plane home after this.
“Getting the decision wrong is fine but doing it twice in a match is not good enough for an international referee.”
In other news, Liverpool could sanction an exit after £49m confirmed news in the last 48 hours.