JUST IN: Mike Dean argues that the referee’s decision was a major mistake that cost Liverpool dearly ❌️, and he has presented strong points to justify his stance.

Mike Dean, the ex-Premier League referee, criticized the decision to issue only a yellow card to Andreas Pereira for his tackle on Ryan Gravenberch during Liverpool’s match against Fulham. Speaking on Sky Sports’ *Soccer Saturday*, Dean claimed that Pereira’s challenge, which struck Gravenberch on the top of his Achilles, deserved a red card. He emphasized that Pereira was “nowhere near the ball” and that the tackle appeared intentional, making it a clear red card offense. This occurred shortly after Issa Diop received a yellow card for a dangerous challenge on Andy Robertson.

Dean’s frustration is entirely warranted—it was a reckless tackle by Pereira, one that could have easily caused a serious injury, but thankfully, Gravenberch avoided harm.

To make matters worse for Liverpool, just moments later, Pereira scored by heading in Antonee Robinson’s cross, which deflected off the unfortunate Robertson.

Liverpool’s defense should have done a far better job of preventing the goal, especially given their sluggish performance in the first 30 minutes. What’s even more frustrating is that the player who put Fulham ahead shouldn’t have even been on the field when he scored.

To add insult to injury for Liverpool, Robertson’s red card comes at a time when Kostas Tsimikas is still injured, leaving Arne Slot without an experienced left-back for this match and potentially the next three games.

Once again, a promising Premier League encounter has been overshadowed by officiating mistakes, ensuring the referees, rather than the players, are the main topic of post-match discussions.