Former Premier League referee Dermott Gallagher has suggested that a clock-stop system could have prevented the added-time controversy that overshadowed Liverpool’s 2-1 victory over Everton at Anfield on Saturday.
Liverpool appeared to be in control after goals from Ryan Gravenberch and Hugo Ekitike in the first half. Idrissa Gueye reduced the deficit for Everton, but the Toffees were left frustrated as only three minutes of stoppage time were added at the end of the second half, despite several substitutions and interruptions.
The decision left Everton players and fans baffled, with David Moyes and Jack Grealish among those expressing discontent. Pundit Jay Boothroyd also questioned the ruling while Gallagher offered an alternative during a television appearance.
“When do we ever see three minutes in this day and age now? We never see three minutes,” Boothroyd said. Gallagher responded: “Normally you have got the VAR feeding back, ‘This has taken X amount of time,’ substitutes or a VAR review and things like that. It’s all added up and fed to the fourth official, fed to the referee because they are all in communication, so it should be better than ever.”
Boothroyd pressed further, pointing to the number of stoppages in play and asking if more time should have been added. Gallagher admitted he could not provide an exact answer without tracking every moment but suggested a more radical change. “I am not sitting on the fence, Jay. How would I know? I would have to clock everything! This goes back into my thing, why don’t we play 35 minutes each way, stop the clock like they do in other sports?”
Following the match, Grealish voiced his frustration, saying: “We couldn’t get the last goal and it was frustrating in the second half. They were trying to slow the game down at times. I’ve never seen a player in my whole life get booked for taking a quick free-kick. I don’t know where that rule has come in. Even the stoppage time, three minutes and one minute – I’ve never seen that in the Premier League in the last two or three years.”
Moyes echoed similar sentiments: “Three minutes was very strange. Every quick free-kick had to be stopped and brought back for the whistle and then we get a booking for it. I find it quite unbelievable.”
The debate has reignited discussions on timekeeping in football, with Gallagher’s suggestion of adopting a clock-stop rule now drawing attention as a possible solution.
