Premier League urged to change major rule after Liverpool vs Everton drama

Liverpool reigned victorious over Everton at Anfield on Saturday afternoon as David Moyes and a number of Toffees stars were left furious with the game’s officiating

The PGMOL have been called upon to alter the rules regarding stoppage time in the Premier League. It comes after Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Everton at Anfield, where only three minutes were added on at the end of the second half.

The Merseyside derby certainly lived up to its reputation for neutral fans, as the Reds quickly established a 2-0 lead by half-time. Ryan Gravenberch’s brilliant goal, followed by Hugo Ekitike’s fourth of the season, put the Reds firmly in the driving seat.

However, Everton clawed their way back into the game thanks to Idrissa Gueye’s strike, setting the stage for a thrilling finale. Unfortunately for the Blues, their push for an equaliser was hampered by the addition of just three minutes of stoppage time in the second half.

READ MORE: Every word from Jack Grealish’s rant at officials after tense Liverpool defeatREAD MORE: Jack Grealish furiously confronts referee after Liverpool loss as Jordan Pickford steps in

Liverpool managed to cling on for the win, but the disappointment from the away side was palpable. David Moyes was seen confronting referee Darren England after the match, while Jack Grealish earned himself a booking after the full-time whistle before being led away by Jordan Pickford.

In his post-match interview, Moyes said: “Three minutes was very strange. Every quick free-kick had to be stopped and brought back for the whistle and then we get a booking for it [taking a quick free kick]. I find it quite unbelievable,” reports the Liverpool Echo.

Meanwhile, Grealish added: “Even the stoppage-time, three minutes and one minute – I’ve never seen that in the Premier League in the last two or three years. There were frustrations with the referee.”

In response to Everton’s grievances, former Premier League referee Keith Hackett suggested to Football Insider that the PGMOL should consider changing their rules regarding stoppage time. He said: “Can you remember when we had 10, 11, 14 minutes of added time on Premier League games?

“It lasted about six weeks. In the Merseyside derby today, three minutes. It’s just not enough.

“The lawmakers must consider taking the timing of games out of the hands of the match officials and introduce an independent time-keeper, who operates a stop-clock inside the stadium.

“That way, we’ll have fewer players feigning injury, and we’ll probably see fewer stoppages. They’ll want to get on with the game, won’t they?”

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