Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola said he felt frustrated he was not able to make a triple substitution earlier during Saturday’s 2-2 Premier League stalemate against Nottingham Forest.
With the match even at 1-1 in the second half at Anfield, Iraola wanted to introduce Ryan Gravenberch, Kostas Tsimikas and Rio Ngumoha onto the pitch.
But although the ball went out of play three times, the players had to wait on the sidelines because of some issues between the fourth official Tim Robinson and the board.
Nottingham Forest then further made Liverpool even more frustrated because instead of stopping the game for the substitutions, the team scored from a quick throw-in, which allowed them to regain the lead.
Neco Williams ran into space behind the Liverpool defense, and goalkeeper Alisson brought him down as he attempted to strike the ball towards goal.
“A professional fourth official cannot take three minutes.” 😳
Andoni Iraola was not happy with the time taken to get the substitutes’ board ready.
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“With the penalty, the situation has already finished when the contact appears. And it’s not an aggressive contact,” Iraola told BBC Match of the Day.
“But more than this we complained about the subs. We had to wait about three minutes.
“He was having an issue with the board, I don’t know if it was not working, but we definitely wanted to do the subs the last two or three stoppages before the goal.
“It wasn’t just that reason but everything helps.”
Speaking to TNT Sports, he added: “A professional fourth official cannot take three minutes. We’d already given him the subs two or three minutes before.
“I was already angry because in the previous stoppage we couldn’t make the subs and then before throw-in I thought we could do it.
“I don’t know, they will have to explain it. But it has taken ages.”
Victor Munoz rescued a point for the Reds with his first goal for the club with eight minutes left.
