FIFA boss Pierluigi Collina insists Manchester United’s misery has been wrongly curtailed at Liverpool

FIFA chief referee Pierluigi Collina insists Manchester United’s 7-0 win over Liverpool was wrongly abandoned.

Referee Andy Madley added just three minutes of stoppage time at the end of the second half, despite six goals, ten substitutions and a raft of VAR ratings.

The official seemed to feel sorry for Erik ten Hag’s side – and Collina wasn’t impressed.

Speaking at a briefing on Thursday, the legendary referee said: “Ten Premier League games were played last weekend and four games lasted more than 100 minutes [in total].

“Two of them should have been higher just because they were 7-0 and 4-0 [Brighton v West Ham United] and the referee probably decided not to take the extra time into account accurately.

“Six goals were scored in the second half [at Anfield]. I can understand that in this particular game it’s hard to see giving significant overtime when the score is 7-0.

“But when the rules of the competition say that in the end the total goal difference is relevant for the ranking, just one goal scored or not scored can mean the difference.”

Collina orchestrated a well-received crackdown on time wasting at the 2022 World Cup, which saw a tremendous amount of extra time wasted.

Studies have shown the ball is in play less than 56 per cent of the time this season in the Premier League, but the English top flight club are yet to adhere to FIFA’s strict guidelines.

President Gianni Infantino has promised to monitor leagues around the world to ensure the correct number of stoppage times are being added, with the Premier League likely to get its turn next season.

Collina conceded that a “mercy rule” could be considered, although it would need to be written into the rules of the game, not at the discretion of an umpire.

“Perhaps in the future we can consider saying that if there is a difference of more than X goals between the two teams, no extra playing time needs to be awarded at the end of the game, but that would be within the rules of the game,” Collina added added.

“Now it’s common sense – but common sense isn’t common sense when it affects someone. In the World Cup between Spain and Costa Rica, Spain led 6-0 and eight minutes of stoppage time were allowed.

“Spain scored one [more] Goal in stoppage time [to make it 7-0] and that goal could have cost Spain or Costa Rica qualification for the next round of the competition.”