Micah Richards slams Anthony Taylor decision after Man City goal disallowed vs Liverpool FC

© Matt McNulty – Manchester City via Getty Images City players protest

Micah Richards has claimed that referee Anthony Taylor did not have “clear and obvious” grounds to disallow Phil Foden’s goal at Anfield after being recommended to check the pitchside monitor.

The original decision to allow the goal was overturned when it appeared that Erling Haaland had pulled Fabinho to the ground in the build-up. Foden’s disallowed strike came shortly before Liverpool took the lead as they secured a 1-0 win.

The referee was a pivotal figure in proceedings, with Jurgen Klopp sent off in the closing stages for dissent, and Taylor came under criticism from former City man Richards, with the Sky Sports pundit claiming that the referee should have stuck with his original decision.

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“The decision, if you look at Fabinho, he’s already going down, the referee has given that decision,” he said. “Why not stay with your original decision? On the evidence, for me, that’s re-refereeing the game, in my opinion.

“I don’t think that’s clear and obvious if I’m being totally, totally honest. It’s very close. Liverpool deserved it [the win], I just think these crucial moments, you slow it down, if you put it in normal pace Fabinho is already going down.”

Fellow pundit Jamie Carragher expressed a similar view on the referee, with the man in the middle drawing criticism from the former Liverpool defender.

“I thought Anthony Taylor, throughout the game, let a lot go ,” Carragher said. “I want to see that from a referee. In his position, I can see why he hasn’t given it but the one angle where on VAR it looks like a game-changing moment.”

Bernardo Silva also criticised the decision, slamming the consistency of Taylor.

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