Broadcaster Richard Keys has warned the Premier League they are "asking for trouble" putting Anthony Taylor on refereeing duty for fixtures between Manchester United and Liverpool.
Sunday's match was just the third time Taylor has taken charge of the fixture. After a goalless draw in 2016 and a 5-0 Liverpool win in 2021, the final meeting of the Jurgen Klopp era ended all-square.
Keys felt Taylor did a good job on Sunday, pinpointing just one decision he felt the official got wrong. That was the decision not to dismiss Casemiro for a wild late challenge on Luis Diaz, rather than the game-levelling penalty which drew complaints from United fans.
With the ref hailing from Wythenshawe in Greater Manchester, though, he argued the risk of an appointment for the high-profile fixture. Taylor is an Altrincham fan, regularly attending matches at the non-league club, but this hasn't been enough to stop some complaining at his selection.
"I thought Antony Taylor was terrific - one big call aside," Keys wrote. "Casemiro should’ve gone off for his late lunge. That was an awful challenge.
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"Utd/Liverpool is a huge game anyway but, of course, it comes with added pressure for Altrincham based Taylor," he added. "Not for a moment do I think he would ever do anything but a professional job on it, but why put him under the added duress?
"It’s obstinate and arrogant of the PGMOL to keep doing it, knowing that something could go wrong. Just imagine if we were arguing over a similar decision to the one at Wolves following the game. Taylor would be slaughtered and it wouldn’t be his fault. It’s asking for trouble to keep appointing him to the fixture."
Do you agree with Richard Keys? Have your say in the comments section
Keys felt Casemiro should have seen red (Getty Images)The Wolves decision referenced by Keys concerned a late goal for Gary O'Neil's side which was chalked off after a VAR check. Tawanda Chirewa was ruled to have been offside and interfering with West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski, despite not getting a touch on Max Kilman's goalbound header.
“I would like to get their thoughts on it from an understanding point of view," O'Neil said. "It would be a case of ‘if you’re telling me I’m wrong, why am I wrong?’ The bigger thing for me is it (officiating) needs to get better.
“I don’t know if he (PGMOL chief Howard Webb) will want to speak to me," he added. "I don’t know if I’ve upset the officials that much, and even if he does speak to me, what am I going to get from it, really?
"If he (Harrington) reports it and I get told off, so be it – I’ve been told off many times before. I will apologise if I’ve stepped over the line but I can only react on how I feel at that moment.”
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