Liverpool beat Aston Villa in the Premier League with a yellow card decision being a talking point from the fixture
Referee Stuart Attwell during the clash between Liverpool and Aston Villa
Referee Stuart Attwell gave Amadou Onana a yellow card during Liverpool's win over Aston Villa
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Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has explained why Amadou Onana was not shown a red card during Liverpool's win over Aston Villa. The Reds claimed a 2-0 victory over Villa in the top flight over the weekend to return to winning ways and move into the top four.
Arne Slot's side had lost their four previous Premier League fixtures before beating Villa, and now lie in third place in the table ahead of the clash against Manchester City next weekend. Goals from Mohamed Salah and Ryan Gravenberch secured the win for the Reds at Anfield, but the match was not without its controversy.
It was in the second half that Villa midfielder Onana was booked following a heated exchange with Alexis Mac Allister in the Liverpool penalty area during a corner. Replays showed that Onana had his hands on Mac Allister's throat, which led to referee Stuart Attwell giving the former Everton player a yellow card.
VAR checked the incident and stayed with the on field decision, meaning no red card was issued to Onana. Now, Gallagher has explained why Attwell and VAR came to their decision of a caution rather than a sending off.
"The fact they were pushing and shoving each other and all right, he's raised his arm, probably a bit higher than he wanted, but he's pushing," said Gallagher on Sky Sports' Ref Watch programme.
"Stuart's [Attwell] got to decide, is it violent? Is it an act of brutality? He said: 'No,' he's obviously relayed to the VAR what he's seen, VAR has checked it back. The referee said, yellow card only."
Former Premier League striker Jay Boothroyd was in the studio alongside Gallagher and explained why a red card should have been issued to Onana for the incident with Mac Allister.
"As much as I like a physical game, I look at this situation, I'm like, if someone puts their hand on my throat in the street like that, you're gonna get an aggressive reaction from me," said Boothroyd.
"So in that instance, I'm saying that should be a red card, because obviously Mac Allister can't do that, right? Mac Allister has made the most of it. He's gone down, right? And that's probably because if he reacts, he'll get a red card too.
"So I think he's gone down there, and obviously, it's something that the official should have picked up.
"But I look at that and I say that is aggressive, because again, I reiterate, if that happens off the football pitch and someone does that to you, you're going to react in a certain way, which probably be aggressive, or you're going to call HR!"
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