Referee quashes bizarre MOTD claim over Nick Pope’s red card during Liverpool vs Newcastle

Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher spoke out on the decision to send Nick Pope off for a handball against Liverpool, as he quashed claims from Gary Lineker that the red card should be overturned ahead of the cup final this weekend.

The Reds recorded a much-needed 2-0 win over high-flying Newcastle United, to reignite their top four challenge with a two-goal victory thanks to strikes from Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo.

Pope was sent off after he went to stoop to head a throughball for Mohamed Salah clear, but missed and handled the ball outside his area.

A straight red was brandished, meaning he will miss Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against Manchester United. Former Liverpool keeper Lorius Karius is in line to start instead.

Speaking on Sky Sports News as part of their weekly feature ‘Ref Watch’, Gallagher confirmed that the decision to send Pope off was completely correct, despite claims from some that there was a covering defender in Sean Longstaff.

“He’s denied a goalscoring opportunity, if he hadn’t handled the ball you’d say Salah would have been in control of the ball. He’s going directly towards goal, I know the defender’s covering but if that was a defender that had done that, you’d still send him off.

“The fact that it’s a defender who can’t use hands makes it a goalscoring opportunity because he’s only just got to take two steps and shoot towards goals. Has he got a chance of getting a clear shot on goal and if you look at Salah, if Pope hadn’t handled it he can chip or he can shoot.”

Gallagher’s comments closed the door on any doubt, but Match of the Day presenter Lineker had taken a different view, as he pleaed for the ban to be overturned so the former Burnley keeper could play in the final this weekend.

“Wasn’t Joelinton on nine yellows?” Lineker stated. “If he’d have got another yellow he would have missed two games but not the Carabao Cup final.

“That’s an anomaly. Why is that? Come on! Let him play in the cup final. He’s been brilliant this season.” Lineker later added: “Let him play, let him play. Go on, it will be nice wouldn’t it. It’s the right thing to do.”