'He did not deserve two yellows' - Andoni Iraola defends Ryan Gravenberch after Liverpool star’s controversial dismissal in 3-0 defeat to Manchester City

Iraola was left fuming after seeing his side crumble following a controversial red card for Ryan Gravenberch. The match was finely balanced at Anfield until the 62nd minute, when the former Bayern Munich man was dismissed for a second bookable offence following a challenge on Jérémy Doku.

"I think the analysis is quite clear, no?" Iraola said in his post-match press conference. "I think we played two different games: one until the red card, and one from the red card until the end. I think we were the better team until the red card in the first 62 minutes, I think. And they were better than us, obviously, after the red card. And they scored the goals. But I think the players deserve credit today, because I think they've given everything."

He added: "They've given everything. And I think also supporters have been fantastic today, fantastic. Before, during, after. And I think the atmosphere and the feeling we had until that moment, also it was, I think, our best moment, probably, when we were having the chances and are positive. That obviously, when you lose after 3-0, it's not a lot. But I think it was important."

The Spaniard was particularly aggrieved by the first caution issued to Gravenberch, suggesting that the contact was too minor to warrant such a stiff punishment in a game of this magnitude. "I think the first foul of Ryan is never a yellow card, never," he said.

"These kinds of games, just a stomp on the big toe, or something minor. He doesn't even call the foul straight away. He lets bit go, I think Anderson does a couple of steps. He decides to go down. I don't know why after he shows the yellow card, because it's not a situation where it leaves advantage. We had nine players behind the ball. It's like they had a lot of, you know, it was in the middle of the pitch, no danger there."

Iraola also questioned the referee's decision to book Ronald Araújo early in the game for protesting, arguing that such a strict approach to dissent would need to be applied consistently throughout the season.

"You put yourself in trouble as a referee, and you put us in trouble as well. At the beginning of the game, Ronald [Araújo] was shown a yellow card. I know he complained and reacted, but in a game like this, if you're going to start by punishing Ronald for complaining after a handball by [Marc] Guéhi, then you're putting yourself in a difficult position," Irola explained.

He concluded: "You give the right-back a yellow card straight away at the beginning of the game. In the textbooks, yes, it's perfect. He complains, and you can show him a yellow card. But then I'll be very careful all season, because every time someone complains, it has to be a yellow card."

Once Liverpool were reduced to ten men, the reigning champions wasted no time in making their superiority count. Erling Haaland opened the scoring just three minutes after the dismissal, before Jérémy Doku and Rayan Cherki added further goals to ensure a miserable afternoon for the home support.

Despite the heavy scoreline, Andoni Iraola reaction remained focused on the shift in momentum caused by the refereeing decisions rather than a total tactical failure by his players. While the first half saw Liverpool maintain a disciplined block that frustrated Enzo Maresca's side, the gaps created by Gravenberch's absence proved fatal.