Liverpool Football Club have escalated their frustration to the highest levels of officiating after Virgil van Dijk's first-half equaliser was controversially disallowed during their 3-0 defeat to Manchester City on Sunday.
The Controversial Incident
Following Erling Haaland's opening goal for the hosts, Liverpool believed they had drawn level when captain Virgil van Dijk powerfully headed home from a Mohamed Salah corner. The celebrations were abruptly cut short when assistant referee Stuart Burt raised his flag for offside.
The official ruled that Andy Robertson, positioned in an offside location, was impacting the sightline of Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. The Video Assistant Referee system, operated by Michael Oliver, reviewed the incident but upheld the on-field decision made by referee Chris Kavanagh.
Liverpool's Official Complaint and Expert Verdict
The disallowance prompted immediate fury from Liverpool players and manager Arne Slot, who later described it as an 'obvious' wrong decision in his post-match press conference. On Monday, the club formally contacted Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) chief Howard Webb to register their concerns, contesting the subjective nature of the call.
Weighing in on the debate, former Premier League referee Chris Foy has delivered his verdict. In a column for The Guardian, Foy acknowledged the incident's subjectivity but ultimately sided with the officials.
"The decision is massively subjective, in my opinion, but not a clear and obvious error," Foy stated. He explained that for VAR to overturn the on-field call, there must be clear evidence that Donnarumma was not impacted by Robertson's presence, which he believed was absent.
Implications and Fallout
This incident has reignited the ongoing debate about the application of the 'clear and obvious' threshold in VAR interventions. While Foy admitted he would have personally preferred the goal to stand, the protocols prevented an overturn.
The Premier League has since released the full VAR audio to Liverpool following their complaint, adding another layer to a controversy that looks set to rumble on. The outcome of Liverpool's discussion with Howard Webb is now eagerly awaited by fans and pundits alike.
