Richard Keys has launched a scathing critique of Simon Hooper’s refereeing during Liverpool’s match against Wolves, branding his failure to send off Ibrahima Konate as a “f*** up.”
The referee oversaw the Premier League leaders’ 2-1 victory but found himself at the center of controversy after Konate committed two fouls on Matheus Cunha within a 15-minute span.
Konate, 25, was first booked for delaying Wolves’ quick free-kick by kicking the ball away after fouling the Brazilian striker. Later, he mistimed an aerial challenge on Cunha, colliding with him just before halftime.
Despite the second offense, Hooper opted not to issue Konate another yellow card, leaving Wolves with only a free-kick as consolation. With Konate walking a disciplinary tightrope, Arne Slot made the decisive call to replace him with Jarell Quansah at halftime.
The French defender is expected to feature in Liverpool’s upcoming match against Aston Villa on Wednesday. However, Keys, alongside an aggrieved Wolves contingent, has slammed Hooper’s decision not to show Konate a second yellow, delivering his verdict in no uncertain terms on his online blog.
“And now we know why Konate wasn’t sent off,” declared the beIN Sports anchor, via the Liverpool Echo. “According to Peter Walton in The Times it’s because of a directive for less fussy refereeing. What absolute nonsense. Laughable nonsense. Why do these PGMOL patsies treat us like idiots?
“No. It was because Simon Hooper f** up. Everybody knows Konate should’ve been booked a second time for clattering into Cunha. Hooper s it.”
Keys, 67, didn’t mince words in his assessment of Hooper’s overall performance, particularly questioning the referee’s fitness levels during the game. He added: “He didn’t have a very good game I’m afraid. He doesn’t look fit to me and I think he struggled to keep up with play again. I’ve watched him a lot recently.
“Keep your eye on him and see how many free-kicks he gives in the last 15-20 mins of games when he starts blowing and needs a rest. I might be wrong, but I think the frequency increases in the last quarter-hour of games he’s in charge of.”
Liverpool will take on Aston Villa on Wednesday night, where a win could see them extend their lead over Arsenal to 10 points, albeit having played one more game than their title rivals.
