Wayne Rooney has taken aim at Ryan Gravenberch following his sending-off against Manchester City, which led to Liverpool capitulating to a 3-0 defeat at Anfield
Wayne Rooney speaking on the BBC's Match of the Day
Wayne Rooney gave his verdict on Ryan Gravenberch's sending off against Manchester City(Image: BBC Sport)
Wayne Rooney has branded Ryan Gravenberch “naive and stupid” following his sending-off against Manchester City.
The midfielder’s red card saw Liverpool’s game against the current Premier League leaders turned on its head. The Reds had been on top up until that point, with Gravenberch in particular impressing before goals from Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki sentenced Andoni Iraola to his first defeat in charge.
Gravenberch’s sending-off has proven controversial though, with Chris Kavanagh’s decision to hand the 24-year-old his first yellow card for his challenge on Elliot Anderson proving controversial, while even his second booking has divided opinion.
Both Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville agreed that the dismissal was “harsh” and “soft”, while Iraola has insisted that Gravenberch’s first challenge on Anderson was “never a yellow card.”
While Rooney agrees Gravenberch was unlucky to be booked in the first place, the former Manchester United and Everton star showed little sympathy for the midfielder for his second challenge on Doku, which resulted in him being given his marching orders.
“Well I think the first yellow card is harsh,” Rooney told the BBC’s Match of the Day.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 11: Ryan Gravenberch of Liverpool reacts after being shown a second yellow card and sent off by Referee, Chris Kavanagh during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Liverpool FC and Manchester City at Anfield on October 11, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
Ryan Gravenberch is shown his second yellow card and sent off against Manchester City(Image: Getty Images)
“Hes obviously gone for the ball, it’s a poor touch by Elliot Anderson, and then he just nicks him and catches him on the top of his foot and he goes down, so it’s probably not a yellow card.
“But for me, the second one is. When you’ve been booked and you’re on a yellow card, then you leave yourself in a position where you can get a second yellow card and sent off.
“So it’s a bit naive and stupid for that second yellow card.”
Liverpool will now be without Gravenberch for its next league game against Brentford on Saturday as he serves a suspension for his sending-off, which comes at a bad time after Dominik Szoboszlai missed Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury.
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Giving his thoughts on his side’s first defeat, Iraola told reporters: “I think the analysis is quite clear. I think we played two different games – one until the red card and one from the red card until the end.
“I think we were the better team until the red card in the first 62 minutes. And they were better than us, obviously, after the red card and they scored the goals.
“But I think the players deserve credit today because I think they've given everything. I think also the supporters have been fantastic today – fantastic before, during, after.
“I think the atmosphere and the feeling we had until that moment... also it was, I think, our best moment probably when we were having the chances and are positive. Obviously when you lose 3-0 it's not a lot, but I think it was important.”