Liverpool continued their perfect start to the season with a 2-1 win over Everton in the first Merseyside derby of the campaign, but the post-match discussion wasn’t just about the goals. Instead, attention quickly turned to the referee’s handling of stoppage time—and one former official has made a bold suggestion for change.
The Reds looked comfortable in the first half thanks to strikes from Ryan Gravenberch and Hugo Ekitike, but Everton fought back strongly after the restart. Idrissa Gana Gueye pulled one back, and David Moyes’ side piled on the pressure as they searched for an equaliser.
However, referee Darren England allowed only three minutes of added time at the end of the match, a decision that infuriated Everton’s players. Several Toffees surrounded the official after the final whistle, while loanee Jack Grealish even picked up a booking despite the game having ended.
That controversy sparked a reaction from Keith Hackett, former head of the Professional Game Match Officials Board (PGMOL). Speaking after the game, Hackett argued that stoppage-time decisions should no longer be left solely to referees:
> “Remember when Premier League games suddenly had 10, 11, even 14 minutes added on? That lasted just a few weeks. In the derby, we got three minutes—and it simply wasn’t enough. The authorities should consider removing timekeeping from the referee’s control and instead appoint an independent official to operate a stadium stop-clock.”
Hackett believes this approach would stop players from wasting time, reduce unnecessary stoppages, and bring greater transparency for fans, players, and managers alike.
Whether or not the Premier League adopts such a measure remains uncertain, but Hackett’s comments highlight a debate that could grow louder in the weeks ahead. For Everton, the feeling lingers that with more stoppage time, the outcome might have been very different.
Leave a Reply