‘Reckless…’ – Ex-PGMOL chief claims FA ‘could re-referee’ one incident from Liverpool victory

Former PGMOL chief executive Keith Hackett has claimed that Anthony Gordon may have been fortunate to escape a red card in Liverpool’s 4-1 victory over Newcastle last weekend.

The 24-year-old was booked by Simon Hooper in the 11th minute at Anfield for lunging in on Alisson Becker with a late challenge, with replays showing that the Magpies winger caught the goalkeeper off the ground with his studs up.

That incident came just moments after he’d also clattered into Alexis Mac Allister, and he went on to open the scoring later in the first half before the Reds hit back to win handsomely.

Hackett suggests FA ‘could re-referee’ Gordon incident

Hackett has called on the FA’s disciplinary panel to intervene and potentially issue a further sanction on Gordon over the tackle on Alisson.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider on The Final Whistle, the ex-PGMOL chief said: “I think he [Hooper] missed it completely. It’s one of these where you have to make your mind up. Is it reckless, and so that’s a yellow card, or is it reckless, excessive force with a degree of malice? That’s the judgment they have to make.

“It’s evident to me that VAR are sitting and saying: ‘I’m not getting involved at all’; and this exposes the referee, because he may not have the best view. Sometimes it is in a flash, or you have an obstruction with a player in front of you, but this is another player that has got away without a sanction.

“What I think has to happen is, the disciplinary panel at the FA have got to ask the match officials: ‘Did you see the incident, referee?’; and if not, then I think the FA could re-referee that incident and issue a sanction.”

Was Gordon fortunate to avoid an early red card?

Gordon had been sent off for raking his studs down the back of Virgil van Dijk’s calf in the reverse fixture at St James’ Park earlier in the season (Hooper was also the on-field referee that night), and in the first few minutes at Anfield on Saturday he seemed to be a red card in waiting.

He may well have been already on a yellow over the Mac Allister collision before the challenge on Alisson, which in itself could’ve seen a different VAR team recommend a pitchside review for a potential red-card offence.

Anthony Gordon booked for a late challenge on Alisson

The Newcastle man could be a red card in waiting here if he doesn't calm down a small bit

— Empire of the Kop (@empireofthekop) January 31, 2026

The 24-year-old is a very talented footballer whose disciplinary record has improved over the past couple of years – he was booked 10 times in 35 Premier League games two seasons ago, but has had just five yellows in 53 subsequent top-flight matches – but the opening minutes of the match last weekend showed that he’s still liable to let the red mist descend.

We don’t like seeing players being suspended unless it’s necessary or wholly deserved, and Liverpool wouldn’t gain anything from a retrospective ban for Gordon, but the winger would be wise to keep his discipline in check based on his two outings against the Reds this term.

Most importantly, Alisson wasn’t injured from the Newcastle man’s challenge, but that doesn’t absolve the Magpies player from his unnecessary hot-headedness in that moment, and we hope for his sake that he learns from it.

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