Liverpool news: Ex-Premier League referee lambasts Darwin Nunez as controversial BBC footage emerges
Keith Hackett has slammed the “childish” antics of Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez in Uruguay’s 2-0 win over Ghana at the World Cup last week (2 December).
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee praised the official for spotting Nunez trying to scuff up the penalty spot before Andre Ayew took a penalty.
Ghana were awarded a penalty when referee Daniel Siebert reviewed a challenge on Mohamed Kudus by Sergio Rochet on the pitchside monitor.
As Ghana were preparing to take the penalty they formed a circle around the spot to protect it only for Nunez to stick a foot in and scuff it up.
Siebert spotted what the 22-year-old had done and immediately issued him a yellow card.
“It’s a great credit to the referee that he actually saw this,” Hackett said after analysing the footage with Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“It’s childish. These are grown up guys, aren’t they?
“What they are trying to do is a method of applying pressure to your opponents to get them het up and try and make them lack concentration and all that goes with it.
“He got a yellow card and it was a really good spot from the referee.”
Despite beating Ghana, Uruguay were knocked out of the World Cup at the group stage due to South Korea’s 2-1 win over Portugal.
Nunez could next be in action when Liverpool face Man City in the League Cup later this month (22 December).
In other news, Kieran Maguire has claimed a “huge” Liverpool deal is on cards amid the latest from India and it “opens so many doors”.