Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola expressed frustration over a delay involving the fourth official’s substitution board during his team’s 2-2 Premier League draw with Nottingham Forest on Saturday at Anfield. Iraola suggested the prolonged wait in completing a triple substitution contributed to conceding a penalty that put Forest ahead late in the match.
The substitutions involved Rio Ngumoha, Kostas Tsimikas, and Ryan Gravenberch, all waiting to come on. However, the process was stalled for approximately three minutes as Tim Robinson, the fourth official, struggled with the electronic board to display the players’ numbers. This delay coincided with Nottingham Forest winning a penalty following a foul by Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson on teammate Neco Williams after a quick throw-in. Morgan Gibbs-White converted the penalty, giving Forest a 2-1 lead.
Iraola criticised the fourth official’s handling of the substitutions, describing the delay as unprofessional and an issue that had also occurred earlier in the match. “It cannot take three minutes to put the board up,” Iraola said, adding that the technical system used for substitutions in the Premier League lags behind other competitions, citing former Premier League referee Graham Scott’s remarks that the manual input process can be slow.
In a related incident, Alisson was reportedly upset by the events and kicked the substitution board in frustration upon leaving the field at full time.
After Forest’s penalty, new Liverpool signing Victor Munoz scored a late equaliser to secure a second consecutive 2-2 draw under Iraola’s management. Alexander Isak had earlier cancelled out Dan Ndoye’s first-half strike for Forest.
Forest manager Oliver Glasner welcomed the point in only his second game in charge, noting the team’s belief and collective effort after previous defeats. The club is reportedly pursuing further signings, including Daniel Munoz from Crystal Palace and Everton’s Harrison Armstrong.
The penalty decision and its build-up drew further attention due to the circumstances surrounding the throw-in that led to the foul. Replays indicated that Forest substitute Liam Delap may not have adhered to the requirement that both feet remain on the ground behind the throw-in line—an aspect that remains a point of discussion. However, the match official, Sam Barrott, awarded the penalty, a decision upheld after a VAR review, which deemed it a subjective call not warranting intervention.
Liverpool’s recent form has been worrying, with Iraola’s side winless in six Premier League matches, having taken only two points from their opening two games under his leadership. The manager remains hopeful that newly arriving striker Bradley Barcola, expected to sign shortly from Paris Saint-Germain, will bring a positive impact to the campaign.