'Naive and stupid!' - Wayne Rooney slams Liverpool star after devastating red card ruins Anfield clash
City secure dominant Anfield victory
City secured a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Liverpool at a red-hot Anfield on Sunday afternoon. The highly anticipated match marked City's first outing since receiving a guilty verdict for breaching Premier League financial regulations.
The contest swung dramatically in the second half when Gravenberch received a red card in the 62nd minute. Referee Chris Kavanagh waved away animated protests from the home side, and the dismissal left Liverpool completely exposed.
Rooney slams naive Gravenberch decision
Gravenberch had arguably been Liverpool's standout performer during the opening hour before his sending off completely changed the complexion of the game. He collected his second yellow card after clumsily bringing down Jeremy Doku.
Speaking on Match of the Day, Rooney did not hold back in his brutal assessment of the midfielder. The former England international branded the Dutchman as "naive and stupid" for putting himself in danger of a dismissal.
"When you’ve been booked and you’re on a yellow card then you leave yourself in a position where you can get a second yellow card and sent off," Rooney explained. "It’s a bit naive and stupid for that second yellow card."
Haaland and Doku punish ten men
The numerical advantage paid off almost immediately for Enzo Maresca's men. Erling Haaland ruthlessly fired City in front just three minutes after Gravenberch trudged off the pitch.
Substitute Doku soon doubled the advantage, cleverly evading Victor Munoz before curling a superb strike into the corner of Alisson's goal. Rayan Cherki then sealed the result with a brilliant solo effort in the 78th minute.
Despite the heavy defeat, Rooney did offer Gravenberch some sympathy over his initial booking for a foul on Elliot Anderson shortly after half-time. The former forward admitted the first yellow card was "harsh" as the midfielder simply caught the top of Anderson's foot.
"I think the first yellow card is harsh," Rooney noted. "He’s obviously gone for the ball, it’s a poor touch by Elliot Anderson, and then he just nicks it and Gravenberch catches him on the top of his foot and then he goes down. So it’s probably not a yellow card."
Massive European fixtures await both clubs
The impressive away result maintains City's perfect start to the new Premier League season. They now sit comfortably at the summit of the table, holding a three-point lead over Arsenal.
Next up, City will host Paris Saint-Germain in a massive Champions League clash at the Etihad Stadium. They will then look to make it seven wins from seven when they return to domestic action against Ipswich next Saturday.
Meanwhile, Liverpool find themselves stranded down in ninth place following a bitterly disappointing weekend. They must quickly regroup for a European fixture against LASK before travelling to face Brentford in the Premier League.
