Iraola angry as official's board delays subs before goal
August 29, 2026 15:27
Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola was furious after he was unable to complete a planned triple substitution sooner in Saturday’s 2-2 Premier League draw with Nottingham Forest at Anfield. With the game level at 1-1 in the second half, Iraola wanted to bring on Ryan Gravenberch, Kostas Tsimikas and Rio Ngumoha, but the trio remained on the touchline while the fourth official experienced problems operating the electronic board.
During the sequence, the ball went out of play multiple times. On the third occasion, Forest quickly restarted with a throw-in and then won a penalty when wing-back Neco Williams penetrated behind Liverpool’s defence and goalkeeper Alisson impeded him; referee Samuel Barrott pointed to the spot. Liverpool later equalised when Victor Munoz scored his first goal for the club with about eight minutes remaining.
KEY CONTEXT
- Iraola told BBC Match of the Day he believed the contact on Williams occurred after the play had effectively finished and that it was not an aggressive challenge; he also complained the team had been left waiting for roughly three minutes while the fourth official dealt with the board.
- The fourth official was identified as Tim Robinson.
- Former Liverpool players Steven Gerrard and Stephen Warnock publicly expressed sympathy with Iraola’s frustration, criticising the length of the delay and calling the situation unacceptable given modern technology.
WHY IT MATTERS
The delay to the substitutions interrupted Liverpool’s plans at a critical moment and, according to the manager and former players, may have influenced events that immediately followed — a quick throw-in and a resulting penalty that put Forest back in front. The incident raises questions about match-operations reliability and the impact of technical problems on in-game management and competitive fairness. Despite the setback, Liverpool secured a point thanks to a late goal.
WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
- Clarification on what caused the electronic board malfunction and whether the fourth official will provide an explanation.
- Any statement or response from match officials, the clubs involved, or the league regarding the delay and its handling.
- Whether this incident prompts changes to protocols for managing substitutions when technical issues arise.
KEY FACTS
- Match: Liverpool 2–2 Nottingham Forest at Anfield.
- Iraola wanted to introduce Ryan Gravenberch, Kostas Tsimikas and Rio Ngumoha when the game was 1–1.
- Substitutions were delayed while fourth official Tim Robinson had problems with the substitution board.
- After a quick Forest throw-in, Neco Williams was impeded by Alisson and referee Samuel Barrott awarded a penalty.
- Victor Munoz scored his first Liverpool goal with around eight minutes remaining to level the match.
- Ex-players Steven Gerrard and Stephen Warnock criticised the time taken to complete the substitutions.