Jose Enrique has told Stadium Astro that referee Paul Tierney was wrong to not show James Milner a red card in Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with title-rivals Manchester City on Sunday.
Milner escaped a second yellow card for a foul on Bernardo Silva in the second-half of the weekend’s clash. Tierney had already brandished the 35-year-old a caution in the 42nd-minute after fouling Phil Foden. But avoided a first sending off in the league since 2019.
Jurgen Klopp responded soon after the incident with Silva by replacing Milner with Joe Gomez as Liverpool’s makeshift right-back. While Citizens boss Pep Guardiola received a caution for his protests, while the score was locked at 1-1.
Tierney could have shown Milner a second yellow after appearing to trip Foden on the edge of the box, too. But the referee and VAR Stuart Attwell decided the contact was not enough to warrant a foul and a penalty.
Milner seeing red could have changed the game between Liverpool and Manchester City, but Enrique is adamant it would have been the correct decision after fouling Silva.
“I’m going against my own team here but today, Millie in any single case, anyone that sees the images, it’s a second yellow. Simple as that,” Enrique said. “So, why don’t you give it? Probably, you say: ‘Okay, because they want to be less strong’. Then fair enough.
“But then you got another game, and the same thing happens, and it’s a yellow. So, when is the right one? When you want to limit it a little bit more, or when you don’t.”
Milner lucky Tierney did not show Liverpool man red card, like Enrique claims
Milner was certainly lucky Tierney did not send the Liverpool man off against Manchester City, as Enrique states. Silva had sped past the Reds’ £140k-a-week veteran, who lifted his leg to impede the Portuguese’s advancing run.
Tierney acknowledged the incident was a foul, and Klopp – like Guardiola – would have known a yellow card should have followed. Instead, the Anfield natives rallied and took the lead through Mohamed Salah, before Kevin de Bruyne snatched a late equaliser.
Milner even played a role in the build-up to Salah’s strike, as well, before Gomez came on in his place. Giving Guardiola further reason to vent his frustrations at a decision Enrique – a former Liverpool defender – admits Tierney got wrong.
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