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Jamie Carragher criticized Milos Kerkez after he received a first-half booking in Liverpool’s Premier League encounter against Burnley on Sunday.
The defender spent more time in the opposition half than his own during the opening 37 minutes at Turf Moor, as the hosts sat deep and absorbed pressure from Liverpool.
As the champions searched for an opening, the left-hand side proved to be a fruitful avenue, with Cody Gakpo repeatedly cutting inside and firing at goal. Kerkez also carried a threat with his overlapping runs. In the 22nd minute, the ex-Bournemouth man fastened onto a pass from Ryan Gravenberch but took a heavy touch inside the box.
As Josh Laurent shielded the ball out of play, Kerkez threw himself to the ground in an attempt to win a penalty. Instead, he received an instant yellow card from referee Michael Oliver.
“It’s a dive, I don’t think anyone in the stadium thought it was a penalty,” was Carragher’s brutal assessment from his vantage point in the commentary box.
“It is so theatrical. It is absolutely stupid, there is no contact and he is in such a good position to wrap his foot around the ball and get a cross in.
“He is right on the byline, Michael Oliver was in a really good position to see it,” he told Sky Sports.
Kerkez was booed by the home fans after the incident, but was perhaps fortunate to not be shown a second yellow when he pulled back Jaidon Anthony and gave away a foul as Burnley looked to launch a counter-attack.
Arne Slot was clearly worried about Kerkez’s early involvement and after the incident with Anthony, opted to replace the Hungarian with Andy Robertson.
“It’s really good management,” opined Carragher. “This game is going to be about counter attacking, something could happen to see him pick up a second yellow. Robertson is hardly a bad replacement.”
Kerkez’s first-half booking was one of two controversial decisions in the first half, when Lesley Ugochukwu was cautioned for a robust challenge on Alexis Mac Allister.
On another day it could have seen a red card for a tackle in which the Burnley midfielder caught Mac Allister high on the ankle.
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