On Tuesday night, Liverpool fans were even more incensed at Mark Clattenburg for a remark he made in his new position after leaving Nottingham Forest.
During the previous season’s relegation struggle, Forest lost a number of crucial decisions. In February, a former Premier League official was called in to help shed light on why. After a contentious three-month tenure with the team, he would leave his role as a referee analyst three months later.
Fans will recall clearly the defeat to Everton in April at Goodison Park, following which the club released a statement expressing their displeasure over three penalty rulings that were overturned and remarks made against Stuart Attwell, the VAR. Gary Neville begged Clattenburg to back down from such a comment, but he doubled down, denouncing the ‘hat-trick of howlers’ that ultimately contributed to Forest’s defeat.
The pundit’s request was eventually granted when Clattenburg admitted that his time at the City Ground was increasing rather than decreasing tension with other stakeholders. Neville was also forced to retract his remarks when Sky Sports expressed regret for them.
The 49-year-old Clattenburg, who left the Forest in the offseason, has discovered new employment that is comparable to what several other former referees have taken on recently. His name was mentioned last night among the panel of analysts offering commentary on the UEFA Champions League on Amazon Prime.
He was specifically requested to comment on Liverpool’s match against AC Milan. Though they had to trail early on, Arne Slot’s team overcame Forest’s crushing blow at Anfield last Saturday to upset their Italian rivals in the San Siro.
As the game progressed and the six-time champions of the competition gained more influence over the proceedings, the Milan supporters raised two distinct shouts in reference to Norwegian referee Espan Eskas, who was clearly seen to be in favor of the visitors.
Clattenburg vented his displeasure by telling the match official what advise he would give him. “I believe he needs to quiet the throng because they are against him. “I believe he only needs to commit one or two minor infractions to regain the judgment,” he remarked.
And in reaction, Liverpool fans expressed their shock that a man who oversaw the 2016 Champions League final could make such a suggestion on X, the previous Twitter platform:
@Maxi_1892: “Clattenburg telling the ref to give Milan small fouls to appease the crowd, what an outrageous thing to say.”
@LFCData: “Yes, I have also heard that. The crowd’s emotions shouldn’t be controlled by the referee.”
@DaveBibby: “They brought Clattenburg on to tell us how he should be ruining the game, and I was just thinking what a great job the ref has done.”
