Chris Wilder was sure that Liverpool’s second goal against Sheffield United on Wednesday night should not have stood.
Jurgen Klopp’s team was already up 1-0 thanks to a Virgil van Dijk goal before Darwin Nunez tackled Jayden Bogle with a strong sliding challenge in stoppage time, before crossing for Dominik Szoboszlai to seal the win
The Uruguayan was already on a yellow card from referee Simon Hooper at the time for earlier kicking the ball away after coming on as a substitute. And speaking after the final whistle, new United boss Wilder made it clear that he believed Nunez had committed not one but two offences before setting up the second goal.
“I was most disappointed with the tackle by the centre-forward on Jayden Bogle,” he told reporters. “Twenty-five years ago when I was playing, people would talk about it and say that’s a decent tackle. Might have been aimed at me, that, where you take the ball but you take the man.
“He’s wrapped his legs around Jayden Bogle, resulting in the second goal.” The second goal is clear to me. I’m not the type of manager that will just sit back and do nothing.
“We opened up in the final 10 minutes, made substitutions, and switched formation late on.” We knew it was going to come down to that, and the boys came up with a fantastic finale.
“However, I believe it is a foul.” I believe there is a foul preceding that where he jumps into Jack Robinson. It’s a blunder.”
Wilder was also sure that his team should have been granted a penalty in the second half for Ibrahima Konate’s barge on James McAtee, and he wasn’t satisfied that there wasn’t a foul when Van Dijk scored from a corner up to him to stay on his feet.
“It (the first goal) happened that quickly, I’ve not really seen that. There’s blocks. The Liverpool manager said they played Brentford and there were blocks all over.
“I thought the Premier League and refereeing association were taking those out. There were obviously blocks in there. For him to find himself absolutely free, and Jack Robinson, I think it was, on the floor.
“Virgil is what, 10 yards out with a free chance and free opportunity. Something’s happened in there, a collision or coming-together
“But the other two are definite decisions that have gone against us, without a shadow of a doubt. I think it’s another poor night by the referee if I’m honest. It’s not rose-tinted glasses, that’s what I’ve seen.”
“For what, a two-handed push on James McAtee?” he responded, almost incredulously, when asked if the Blades should have been given a penalty. “It’s not a foul if a centre-half pushes a centre-forward, a centre-forward pushes a centre-half, or a midfield player pushes a midfield player with two hands and he goes down, off-balance, on any part of the pitch.”
Wilder was taking charge of Sheffield United for the first time in his second stint at Bramall Lane after returning to the club earlier this week. Unsurprisingly, given his complaints, he thought his players deserved more against Liverpool.
“We’re going to play Liverpool.” “We’re not playing a mediocre team; we’re playing European elite,” he explained. “Not just English elite, but English Premier League elite with incredible players.”
“I wanted to make their night uncomfortable.” I believe Liverpool fans and everyone associated with the squad and the manager will leave pleased with the outcome and delighted with the three points.
“I’m a touch disappointed that we’ve not got something out of the game.”
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