An extraordinary refereeing blunder has cast a shadow over Liverpool's dramatic 4-3 FA Cup quarter-final victory against Manchester United at Old Trafford, with officials admitting a critical penalty decision was made in error.
Controversial Spot-Kick Rocks FA Cup Classic
The match, which saw Liverpool triumph in extra-time thanks to Amad Diallo's stunning winner, took a controversial turn when referee John Brooks awarded United a first-half penalty after Harvey Elliott's challenge on Antony.
However, Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) has since confirmed Brooks mistakenly identified the contact location, with the incident actually occurring outside the penalty area. The embarrassing admission came after Brooks reviewed the footage at half-time.
VAR System Under Scrutiny Again
Despite the availability of Video Assistant Referee technology, the error wasn't overturned during the match. Bruno Fernandes converted the controversial spot-kick, momentarily giving United hope in a match that eventually saw seven goals.
The sequence of events raises serious questions:
- Referee John Brooks initially pointed to the spot for what he believed was a penalty
- VAR reviewed the decision but failed to correct the obvious error
- PGMOL later admitted the contact occurred outside the box
- The mistake potentially altered the dynamics of the classic cup tie
Post-Match Fallout and Reactions
While Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag refused to blame the officials for his team's defeat, the incident has sparked fresh debate about the consistency of Premier League refereeing standards.
Liverpool ultimately progressed to the FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley, but the victory celebration has been tempered by discussion around the officiating controversy that nearly changed the course of this epic encounter.
The incident serves as another chapter in the fierce rivalry between these two footballing giants, with technology and human error once again taking centre stage in one of English football's most storied competitions.
