The reason why Ibrahima -Konate avoided a sending road during the victory of Liverpool over Wolves has now been revealed.
The side of Arne Slot clearly moves seven points at the top of the Premier League table after a 2-1 victory in Anfield, thanks to goals from Luis Diaz and Mohammed Salah.
But it could have been very different for the Reds after defender Konate came close that he was rejected for a challenge about Wolves star Matheus Cunha.
The Liverpool defender had already been shown a yellow card earlier in the game and looked like shoulder ship Cunha after the striker had hit him in a header.
Wolves Boss Vorror Pereira remained furious with the decision and argued after the game that Konate should have been sent away.
According to The Times, however, a directive that was given to referees at the start of the 2024-25 campaign probably saved the defender to be rejected.
The outlet claims that Premier League referees were encouraged to increase the threshold for physical contact that should be considered an error.
The instructions were initially given to officials last summer before they were strengthened at the beginning of January.
It is claimed that the guideline would help the game 'to flow better without interruption' and enable fans to 'become more involved in the drama of the game'.
Reports claim that the change has been made in an attempt to display the physical nature that is usually expected from English football.
Wolves Baas Pereira thought it was a crucial moment in the game, especially given his team piled up on the pressure looking for a late equalizer. Cunha reduced the deficit of the wolves to one after Diaz and Salah Liverpool had set two goals.
“I'm not the referee but yes for me,” said Pereira. “What I am saying now will not change anything, but in my opinion the second yellow card must be shown.”
The Portuguese were also booked for deviating opinion and he said: 'I don't know (why I was carded), perhaps because I am emotional when I compete, I don't watch a movie on the couch. I am there to compete, we have to understand the emotional side of the game.
'It was not disrespectful in my opinion, I must have said, but I am trying to accept many decisions today. We have to play the first half while we played the second half, this is what I want to see in my team – the personality, courage and identity. Wolves woke up during the break. '
Liverpool -Baas Arne Slot said: 'That's why I removed (Konate) off. I saw him getting his first yellow – that was a soft yellow for me.
'If he had received his second for a shoulderow, it would have been a soft yellow yellow so that he would have been sent away for two soft yellow.
“I think the referee felt the same thing, that's why he didn't (book him again). But I have watched football so often in my life and I know that a player and the referee are under pressure. So every next mistake will lead to perhaps a referee who thinks he might have to give it.
“So I had to play him because you can't play football knowing in your head that you can't make a mistake against such good players like Wolves.”
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