Manchester City’s Ederson escaped a sending off against Liverpool after the Brazilian gave away a penalty for wild challenge on Darwin Nunez.
Ederson gives away penalty on Nunez
Escapes red card but fortunate
Mac Allister equalises from the spot
WHAT HAPPENED?
Nathan Ake picked the ball up on the left-hand side of the City defence and, under-pressure, laid a poor pass back to his goalkeeper. Nunez went scampering through, chasing the loose pass and beat Ederson to the ball. The goalkeeper could not pull out of the 50-50 and sent the Liverpool forward flying with a wild challenge. Alexis Mac Allister thumped home the resulting spot kick, levelling the game after John Stones’ opener.
THE EXPLANATION
Despite the calls for a red card from the Anfield crowd and Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk, Michael Oliver only issued Ederson a yellow card. Given Nunez was not heading towards goal, Ederson may not have been considered to be denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity.
However, if it was judged he was, then the double jeopardy laws would mean he would still escape with just a yellow card. The law states that if a player is making a genuine attempt to win the ball with a tackle, then only a yellow card is issued. As Ederson’s challenge was not deemed reckless or out-of-control, it could not be a red card.
Mac Allister made no mistake from the spot, hitting his shot high into the left-hand side of the goal, out of Ederson’s reach. The strike lifted the Anfield crowd and swung the momentum of the match in Liverpool’s favour.
WHAT NEXT FOR EDERSON?
Ederson injured himself in the process of bringing Nunez down in the box. The Brazilian may miss several games if his injury is severe and Stefan Ortega will have to deputise, after replacing him at Anfield moments after the penalty.
