Liverpool hosts Man City in the Premier League on Sunday, with the referee having been named for the clash — and he has angered Andoni Iraola a couple of times before
Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola.
Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola.(Image: Robin Jones - AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)
Chris Kavanagh will referee Liverpool vs Manchester City this weekend, with the experienced official having been selected for the huge Premier League clash.
In the first match that Manchester City will play since being found guilty of the vast majority of the 115 charges leveled at it by the Premier League, it will head to Anfield for what should be a tasty encounter.
But Kavanagh, now second to Michael Oliver among England's officials following the retirement of Anthony Taylor, has caused anger from Reds boss Andoni Iraola in the past when the Spaniard was in charge of his former side, Bournemouth.
The last time Iraola experienced defeat in the Premier League, Kavanagh was in charge as the Cherries lost to Arsenal. The then-Bournemouth boss was unhappy with the timing of the final whistle.
“I think there are no big key decisions that he has made mistakes," Iraola said. "I complained about the third goal because I think it's not a foul to (Jurrien) Timber. He tries to turn, we don't touch him and he goes to the floor and the goal comes from this free kick.
"But it's not about this. It's about the stoppage time minutes. He has given six. He has shown also a couple of yellow cards at the end to Junior Kroupi and Amine Adli, soft fouls.
Referee Chris Kavanagh looks at the VAR monitor during the Premier League game between Manchester United and Crystal Palace.
Referee Chris Kavanagh looks at the VAR monitor during the Premier League game between Manchester United and Crystal Palace.
"We can discuss if he's a foul or not, but very soft fouls. That gives them, for every yellow card, maybe the right to lose one minute, the right to lose another minute and then straight away six minutes, he doesn't give any seconds.
"We have Antoine Semenyo going inside the box, one against one, to finish with all the team there.
"I think it's common sense. You cannot whistle in that moment, the end of the game. He was arguing that in the first half he did something similar but I've just seen it before coming here.
"He gives Martin Odegaard the chance to cross, he gives Piero Hincapie the chance to cross, and then when they play backward, he whistles."
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Around a year earlier, Iraola was also unhappy with Kavanagh for, in his view, going against the Premier League's advice on handball when Bournemouth drew 1-1 with West Ham.
Following a VAR intervention, Kavanagh penalized Tyler Adams after Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s cross brushed his outstretched arm. Lucas Paqueta then earned West Ham a point late on as a result.
Kavanagh has taken charge of three Premier League games so far this season, but this will be his first appearance in a Liverpool or Manchester City game this term.