Andy Robertson red card for Liverpool a 'mess' as Gary Lineker slams Scotland skipper's dismissal against Fulham
Scotland captain Andy Robertson's early red card has been slammed by Match of the Day host Gary Lineker.
The Liverpool full-back saw his poor touched pounced on by Fulham's Harry Wilson, who he then tripped - with the ball breaking to Raul Jimenez who couldn't find a way beyond Alisson Becker in the Anfield goal. However referee Tony Harrington pulled play back and showed the Scotland full-back a straight red card - just 17 minutes into the match, with Arne Slot's men already a goal behind.
The decision to show Robertson red for denying a clear goal scoring opportunity - despite Jimenez still having the chance to find the net - sparked plenty of debate in the BBC's Match of the Day studio, with veteran presenter Gary Lineker branding it 'extraordinary'. Despite their numerical disadvantage, Dutchman Slot kept his impressive start to life on Merseyside going, as goals from Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota secured a 2-2 draw.
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But the call left Lineker bemused, with the former England star saying: "There didn’t seem to be too many complaints about it after the game, but I found it an extraordinary decision." Pundit Ashley Williams replied: "It’s a tough one to call because it’s a poor touch from Robertson and it’s a foul. If we listen to the whistle it comes after Jimenez’s chance. He’s allowed the advantage and Jimenez doesn’t take advantage, and then he’s pulled it back for the foul on Wilson."
However Lineker wasn't convinced, saying: "But there’s no denial of a goal scoring opportunity. Because he [Jimenez] has the opportunity, which is a red herring. So they eventually give it because Wilson, they think, is going to get the ball. But there is zero chance that Harry Wilson is going to get on the end of that.
"Obviously the decision is for the foul on Wilson, but it’s just a mess. The nuance of the law is a mess on that one as well."
Pundit Theo Walcott added: "The issue is if Jimenez just tucks it in then there’s no red card and we don’t have this debate."
Robertson's boss Arne Slot, who will now serve a one-match touchline ban against Southampton in midweek after reaching the threshold for three yellow cards, had few complaints about the decision telling Sky Sports: "I think Robbo might have been a bit too injured to keep going because normally he's faster than that. It says a lot about his character that he wants to keep on going but it results in a red card."