Liverpool fans would’ve been left seething at the end of the 1-1 draw against Manchester City today due to a highly contentious decision which went against the Reds.
Deep into stoppage time, Jeremy Doku caught Alexis Mac Allister on the chest with studs showing. On-field referee Michael Oliver took no action, and neither did VAR Stuart Attwell, who somehow failed to at least recommend a pitchside review of the incident.
According to information obtained by the Liverpool Echo, a short check of the potential penalty from Stockley Park came to the conclusion that the Belgian winger played the ball before making contact with the Argentine.
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If that really is VAR’s decision/excuse not to send Oliver to the pitchside monitor, it’s a ridiculous one which’ll have Liverpool fans despairing over the ever-controversial process.
Doku may have got a slight touch to the ball first, but his foot was already high at that point, and the studs were protruding in the direction of Mac Allister’s torso.
It was reminiscent of the 1-1 draw against Aston Villa last season when Tyrone Mings somehow escaped a red card for booting Cody Gakpo in the chest. That incident didn’t occur in the penalty area but was more severe in terms of the contact than the one today.
Having watched it back several times, we can’t fathom how Attwell on VAR determined that the Man City winger was playing the ball and not culpable of a dangerous challenge on the Liverpool midfielder.
Alas we must accept it for now as the result won’t change, but PGMOL chief Howard Webb needs to have a word with the officials on duty and demand a proper explanation for how they came to their incredibly dubious decision.
Points dropped at Spurs to a monumental VAR error and today two more lost again due to a big error. Feet higher than waist ought to be an automatic foul as these are dangerous play incidents: as bad as high tackles when contacting ankles or shins. OK some of the very close 50/50 callers are always debatable but here we have clear errors that could cost LFC the title. Might add points lost to Arsenal. What looked to be a clear offside that VAR could not check. Would be great if titles went to the teams who win matches fairly without the refereeing cock-ups.
Quite simply it is endangering an opponent. It is about as clear a foul as you will see. It doesn’t matter if you get the ball, even if you connect with it perfectly through your laces. If the boot is unnaturally high and you connect with force into an opponent it’s a foul.