Ex-referee responds to claim 'mitigating circumstances' saw Milner escape red

Former Premier League official Dermot Gallagher has conceded he was left unsure as to why Liverpool star James Milner was not sent off during Sunday's thrilling 2-2 draw with Manchester City.

Pep Guardiola was left incensed after referee Paul Tierney did not reach for a second yellow following Milner's cynical trip on Bernardo Silva.

The City boss did go on to admit that he would have been left even more outraged over the decision to keep it eleven against eleven if his side had eventually lost the game.

Milner received a yellow card in the first half for a hefty challenge on City star Phil Foden, before the 35-year-old sparked penalty claims from the visitors after he clipped Foden again as the youngster sprinted into the Liverpool penalty area.

Pep Guardiola said James Milner should have had a second yellow card for a challenge on Bernardo Silva in the second-half ( Image:

REUTERS)

The controversial moment came after the interval, Milner making no attempt to play the ball as he stuck out a leg to halt Silva in his tracks.

Analysing the incident on Sky Sports, Gallagher was asked why the former Man City midfielder did not receive a second yellow against his old side.

"I don't know, honestly. If you're going to give a second yellow card in a game you want it to be one where everyone says 'yeah, he's got no choice', and I think that certainly fell into that bracket", the former official explained.

"It was gift-wrapped for him. Only he [Tierney] will know why he didn't send him off."

Seconds before Milner's trip, Silva was actually caught by Reds skipper Jordan Henderson, something which may have influenced Tierney's decision to not punish Milner more severely.

When asked whether Henderson's own foul on City's midfield star was a 'mitigating circumstance' for not sending Milner off, Gallagher replied: "I think even if you do, the fact that Milner's done what he did. You talk about what football expects and when you saw that everyone in football expected a red card."

Due to the current ruling surrounding VAR and what kind of incidents it is permitted to review, potential second-yellow card offences are not monitored by the video assistant referee - something Gallagher is okay with.

"I'm happy with the way VAR is at the moment because we've got the four sections - we're still seeing it tinkered with a little bit, people are adjusting to it as we saw with a few things over the weekend.

"There's still a subjective element. The referee made that decision, we want the on-field referee to make the decision as much as possible and he did there.

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Pep Guardiola was left frustrated on the Anfield sidelines ( Image:

Rex)

"Lots of people think he didn't make the right decision but who's to say the VAR wouldn't have backed him?"

Despite his pitch-side rage, Guardiola had mellowed by the time he conducted his post-match media duties - even sharing a friendly conversation with Milner in the Anfield tunnel.

"Referees have emotions and he knows when he's going to see the action he will know it's a yellow card", the City boss claimed.

"I understand the pressure, the referee has the pressure, the player has the pressure, a decision has to be made in one second.

"Maybe yes, maybe no, but it was clear, 25 minutes left, at that moment it was 1-1. Now I'm more or less satisfied because we drew, but had we lost I would be more angry."