Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has defended Michael Oliver's decision to allow play to continue before Manchester United's opening goal against Liverpool at Anfield. The incident occurred when Bruno Fernandes intercepted a loose header from Virgil van Dijk, who collided with Alexis Mac Allister. Despite Mac Allister falling to the ground with a head injury, Oliver permitted play to proceed, leading to Bryan Mbeumo's goal.
Speaking on Sky Sports' Ref Watch show, Gallagher explained: 'Is there a foul? No, because it's Van Dijk who comes in behind Mac Allister. Michael Oliver assesses it and says 'no foul' and play goes on very quickly.' He added that neither Oliver nor his assistant saw Mac Allister on the ground until after the ball was in the net, calling it 'an unfortunate incident.'
Liverpool manager Arne Slot declined to blame the referee, stating: 'The healthcare of a player is important... but we could have done much better after Macca was on the floor.' He stressed that his side's failure to convert chances was the reason for the defeat, not the officiating.
Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville criticised Van Dijk's positioning, saying: 'Mbeumo runs off the back of Van Dijk... he has to sprint back.' Jamie Redknapp agreed, noting that Van Dijk 'makes a big mistake' by not tracking the run.
