Ex-Premier League referee demands key change after Merseyside derby row

Feargal Brennan

Ex-Premier League referee demands key change after Merseyside derby row image

Liverpool extended their 100% record at the start of the 2025/26 Premier League season with a gritty 2-1 derby win against Everton.

Arne Slot's side remain top of the rankings, after securing five wins from five so far, plus an opening victory over Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League.

First-half goals from Ryan Gravenberch and Hugo Ekitike proved enough for Slot's hosts at Anfield despite a late Everton rally.

Idrissa Gana Gueye cracked home a superb finish, as David Moyes' side looked to battle back into the game, before match referee Darren England came into sharp focus.

After cautioning Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall for a quickly-taken free-kick, England booked Jack Grealish after the full-time whistle, with the Manchester City loanee dragged away by teammate Jordan Pickford.

Grealish and Moyes were both left furious by the decision of England and fourth official Bobby Madley to only add on three minutes off additional time after the 90-minute mark.

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The derby was the only match from Gameweek Five to have less than five minutes added at the end with Moyes labelling the call as 'quite strange'.

David Moyes 08162025.

Getty

Following the controversy, former Premier League referee Keith Hackett has renewed calls for added time to be taken out of the hands of match officials, and given to an independent operator.

"Can you remember when we had 10, 11, 14 minutes of added time on Premier League games," he told  Football Insider.

"It lasted about six weeks. In the Merseyside derby, there's just three minutes. 

"It's just not enough. The lawmakers must consider taking the timing of games out of the hands of the match officials and introduce an independent time-keeper, who operates a stop-clock inside the stadium.

"That way, we'll have fewer players feigning injury, and probably see fewer stoppages. They'll want to get on with the game, won't they?"

Both sides are in midweek EFL Cup action on September 23 with Liverpool hosting Southampton and Everton heading to Wolves.

Feargal Brennan

Feargal is a content producer for The Sporting News. He has been working with TSN since the start of 2022 after stints with Reach, Amazon UK and Squawka in a nomadic career in the football media pyramid. Always with a keen eye on Arteta's 'Reds' and Kenny's Ireland 'Greens' and a 100% five-a-side penalty record.