Liverpool's Premier League ambitions suffered a significant blow at Anfield on Saturday as they fell to a surprising 3-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest, a result marred by a major VAR controversy.
The Anfield Upset and VAR Drama
Arne Slot's side were left stunned by the visitors, with the pivotal moment arriving when Murillo's opening goal was allowed to stand after a lengthy VAR review. The decision centred on Forest's Dan Ndoye, who was standing in an offside position directly in goalkeeper Alisson's line of sight as the ball found the net.
This incident bore a striking resemblance to a goal disallowed for Liverpool a fortnight prior, when Virgil van Dijk's header against Manchester City was ruled out. On that occasion, Andy Robertson was adjudged to have been offside and interfering with play by obstructing goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Expert Verdict on the Controversy
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has since weighed in on the debate, stating that Liverpool have every right to feel hard done by. Speaking on Sky Sports' Ref Watch, Gallagher highlighted the subjective nature of such decisions.
"I go back to two weeks ago and the grey area for this kind of incident is too wide," Gallagher explained. "It's so subjective and it is too loose. There are no defining barriers like handball. Liverpool feel aggrieved at both decisions."
When pressed on the apparent inconsistency between the two matches, Gallagher pointed to Robertson's movement as the key differentiator for officials. "The difference is Andy Robertson moves. He moves to the ball," he stated.
Consequences and Looking Ahead
The defeat sees Liverpool drop to 11th place in the Premier League table, intensifying the pressure on the Merseyside club. Their focus now shifts to the Champions League, where they face PSV Eindhoven, before a swift return to domestic action against West Ham United next weekend.
Gallagher concluded that while fans demand consistency, achieving it with such a loosely defined rule is challenging. "You ask for consistency and to get the decision right, but you can't have both," he admitted. "If you want consistency, every goal like this would be disallowed." This latest incident is sure to fuel the ongoing debate about the application of VAR and the offside rule in English football.
