Wayne Rooney has come down hard on Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch after the midfielder’s dismissal contributed to a disappointing 3-0 defeat against Manchester City. The former Manchester United striker labelled the actions of the Dutchman as both naive and foolish, pointing out that the red card had a major impact on the flow of the game.
However, Rooney's criticism contrasts sharply with the view of Jamie Carragher, who defended Gravenberch, stating that he was one of Liverpool’s standout players before his dismissal.
Indeed, Gravenberch was performing well at Anfield, but a foul on Elliot Anderson in the second half saw him receive a first yellow card that Rooney felt was unwarranted.
Then, in the 62nd minute, Gravenberch fouled Jeremy Doku, which prompted referee Chris Kavanagh to brandish a second yellow, reducing Liverpool to ten men.
During Match of the Day, Rooney admitted that the first yellow card seemed a tad harsh.
He said:
I think the first yellow card was unfair. Gravenberch was trying to play the ball; Anderson had a poor touch, and Ryan caught him on the top of the foot.
In my view, that didn’t warrant a booking.
However, Rooney's opinion of the second incident was quite different.
He added:
When you already have a yellow card, you can't put yourself in a position where the referee can show a second.
In that instance, he acted a bit naively and foolishly.
With Gravenberch sent off, Manchester City seized control of the match, taking full advantage of their numerical superiority to claim victory with goals from Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku, and Ryan Cherki.
Despite the heavy defeat, Carragher found a silver lining in Gravenberch’s performance, stating:
The key positive was the return of the old Gravenberch. We saw the player he had been for the last two years.
When Liverpool won the league, he was exceptional. However, under the new manager, he started the season poorly and lost his place in the team.
Carragher also took issue with manager Andoni Iraola's decision to favour Florian Wirtz over Gravenberch.
He remarked:
Florian Wirtz shouldn't be playing ahead of Gravenberch. Yes, I understand they have different roles.
But Gravenberch is tall, powerful, can carry the ball forward, and is capable of scoring. He brings much more to the team.
Liverpool need to restructure their midfield, as what Wirtz currently offers is simply not enough.
This defeat leaves Liverpool languishing in ninth place in the Premier League, while Manchester City remain at the summit with a perfect start under Enzo Maresca.
Now, Iraola faces a tough task to reshape his midfield ahead of the upcoming matches. Although Gravenberch has shown signs of regaining his previous form, his dismissal has only added to the team’s woes.
