FA told to take action against Newcastle and Liverpool after new rule breached at St James’ Park
Liverpool fans endured a rollercoaster of emotions as their side won 3-2 at Newcastle United on Monday.
Anthony Gordon recklessly charged in on Virgil van Dijk to be handed a straight red card in what was a major turning point, with Liverpool capitalising as they doubled their lead at the start of the second half.
However, Bruno Guimaraes and William Osula struck to get 10-man Newcastle on level terms, only for Rio Ngumoha to blast in what proved to be the most dramatic of late winners.
The clash with Newcastle was already heated up amid Liverpool’s pursuit of Alexander Isak, and the striker was absent from the squad at St James’ Park.
There were several heated exchanges throughout the game between the two sides, and the FA could now punish both Liverpool and Newcastle.
This article contains exclusive opinion from former FIFA and PGMOL referee Keith Hackett.
Liverpool and Newcastle facing fines after Anthony Gordon red card
Gordon’s tackle on Van Dijk sparked a furious response from the Liverpool players, with Alisson among those rushing in to defend his teammate.
Referee Simon Hooper is already unpopular among Liverpool fans, and despite awarding the correct decision with the red card, he struggled to get a grip on the game.
Speaking exclusively to Liverpool News, former PGMOL referee Keith Hackett stated that both clubs could be fined for failing to control their players, as per new FA guidelines that came into play this season.
“The players surrounding the referee is a no-no. The guidelines are clear and the FA need to take action when teams do not comply,” Hackett explained.
“Any player (including the captain) who shows dissent by word or action will be cautioned.
“To prevent players mobbing or surrounding the referee in major situations and following key incidents or decisions, only one player from each team – usually the captain – is allowed to approach the referee and, when doing so, they must always interact in a respectful manner.”
- Read more: Jamie Carragher disagrees with what Thierry Henry’s just said about Alexander Isak and Liverpool
New FA rule could lead to Liverpool fine
The FA introduced the captain’s only rule for this Premier League season in May 2025, and this was introduced to ensure that only the captain of each team can speak to him.
With both sets of players crowding Hooper after the red, Liverpool and Newcastle have both breached this new rule in the heat of the moment, and they could now face retrospective action.
Tensions were high at St James’ Park, but Liverpool will be grateful not to have let the points slip away thanks to the late drama.
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