Liverpool 0-3 Man City: Andoni Iraola on "trouble" of Ryan Gravenberch red card as Anfield loss shows Premier League reality

Liverpool brag Andoni Iraola expressed immense vexation astatine Ryan Gravenberch's dismissal against Manchester City connected Sunday.

The Reds suffered their archetypal decision of the Premier League season, losing 3-0 to Man City astatine Anfield, though the crippled was yet decided successful the 62nd minute.

Gravenberch received a 2nd yellow from referee Chris Kavanagh aft a foul connected Jeremy Doku, and that incidental changed the people of the game.

Speaking to Sky Sports aft the full-time whistle, Iraola was shocked by the archetypal yellowish card, saying: "I deliberation the referee gets successful occupation with the archetypal one. Anderson inactive goes guardant a mates of steps and decides to spell down. He wasn’t adjacent going to telephone a foul, helium lets it go.

"When helium [Anderson] goes down, helium decides, I don’t cognize wherefore [that] it’s a yellowish card. We had similar 9 players down the shot [when Gravenberch picked up his 2nd caution]. They had a batch of players [to spell through]. It’s not similar it’s successful the mediate of the pitch, it’s a mean foul.

"He past gets successful trouble, but helium was enactment successful trouble. It’s already hard to property them erstwhile it’s XI vs. XI, truthful with 1 little and with the players already tired, it becomes a antithetic game. You cannot beryllium arsenic aggressive, you person to hold and support lower."

Gravenberch received his archetypal yellowish aft fouling Elliot Anderson, though interaction was minimal, and galore observers felt that the 24-year-old should not person been sent off.

"The referee wasn't adjacent going to telephone a foul!" Andoni Iraola connected Ryan Gravenberch's sending disconnected against Manchester City. https://t.co/obfNjEdDDi

Liverpool suffer to Manchester City: Many positives to instrumentality from the game

When Liverpool had each 11 of their players connected the pitch, they were arguably the amended team, though the deficiency of firepower up beforehand proved costly.

Lewis Koumas and Victor Munoz were industrious, portion Bradley Barcola and Florian Wirtz disappointed, though nary of the quartet were capable to marque the astir of the attacking opportunities that came their way.

Perhaps the Merseysiders would person been much potent with Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai successful the team.

At the different extremity of the pitch, Liverpool fundamentally nullified each of their opponents' threat, with City attempting conscionable 1 changeable wrong the container anterior to Gravenberch's dismissal.

Despite the resounding quality of the result, determination are respective positives for Iraola to constituent to successful the coming weeks.

Liverpool 0-3 Man City: What does Anfield effect mean for the Premier League?

The decision leaves Iraola's broadside ninth successful the array with 9 points from a imaginable 18, though they are lone 1 constituent from fourth-placed Brentford.

Liverpool fans had hoped that a triumph would propel the nine into a rubric challenge, but they are already 9 points down first-placed City.

Securing Champions League shot volition beryllium the precedence for the Reds this play arsenic they turn nether Iraola, and thing other they execute should beryllium seen arsenic a bonus.