I’m sorry, but the inconsistency in Premier League refereeing is becoming ridiculous.
Ryan Gravenberch was sent off against Manchester City after receiving two yellow cards that, in my opinion, were incredibly soft. Liverpool were left furious, the game changed completely, and Andoni Iraola was understandably frustrated.
Now look at the treatment of Cole Palmer. How can one player be punished so harshly for two debatable challenges, while another appears to get the benefit of the doubt in a situation where a yellow card could have changed everything?
It is the inconsistency that drives supporters mad.
Gravenberch’s first booking against City, for a challenge on Elliot Anderson, looked extremely harsh. Even Jamie Carragher questioned the decision, describing it as a shocking call, while other pundits struggled to understand why the Liverpool midfielder had been cautioned.
His second booking came when he brought down Jeremy Doku. Was it a foul? Yes. Could a referee give a yellow card for it? Absolutely. But given the circumstances, a warning and a bit of common sense would hardly have been outrageous.
Instead, Kavanagh reached for the card again, and Liverpool were down to ten men in a game that was still goalless.
The consequences were enormous. City scored three times after the dismissal to win 3-0, turning a tight contest into a miserable afternoon for Liverpool.
And that is why the first decision still rankles. Gravenberch had been one of Liverpool’s better performers, yet his afternoon was ended by two decisions that many supporters felt lacked consistency and common sense.
So where is that same standard for everyone?
The frustration becomes even greater when you see other incidents involving players who seem to escape punishment.
Palmer’s situation raises exactly the question Liverpool supporters keep asking: are referees applying the same threshold to every player, or does it depend on the incident, the circumstances and the official’s interpretation in that particular moment?
Nobody is arguing that every foul should result in a yellow card. Football is a contact sport, and referees should be allowed to use their judgement. But that judgement needs to be consistent.
If a relatively minor challenge is enough to put a Liverpool player on a booking, then supporters are entitled to ask why a comparable incident elsewhere is treated differently.
The problem is that once a player receives that first yellow, the entire game changes for them. They have to be careful in every subsequent challenge. Opponents know it, and they can target that player because one more mistake could mean a sending-off.
That is exactly what happened to Gravenberch.
And when another player appears to get away with something that might have earned a booking, it only fuels the feeling that the rules are not being applied evenly.
Liverpool deserved better than that against City
Let’s be clear: Liverpool cannot blame every defeat on the referee. City took advantage of having an extra man, and Liverpool’s response after the red card was nowhere near good enough.
But that does not mean the officiating should escape scrutiny.
The Premier League’s Key Match Incidents Panel later backed Gravenberch’s dismissal by a 4–1 vote, so there is clearly a difference of opinion about the decision. That does not mean supporters have to agree with it, particularly when the first booking was so widely questioned.
What Liverpool need is not special treatment. We want the same treatment as everyone else.
If a Liverpool player deserves a yellow card, show it. If a Chelsea player deserves one, show it. And if a challenge does not warrant a booking, do not produce one simply because the referee feels under pressure to make a decision.
For me, that is the heart of the argument.
It is not about wanting Liverpool to get away with things. It is about wanting referees to apply the same standards to every team, every player and every big game.
Gravenberch’s sending-off against City remains a sore point because it had such a massive impact on the match. When supporters then see another controversial incident involving Palmer, the questions are inevitable.
The Premier League can publish all the explanations it likes, but supporters will continue to judge what they see on the pitch.
And right now, too many decisions are leaving fans wondering how one player can be punished for something so marginal, while another seems to escape the same fate.
That is not good enough.
Jamie – (The Kopite View)
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