Liverpool controversially saw a goal ruled out against Manchester City on Sunday, and former Manchester United defender Gary Neville disagreed with the officials.
Erling Haaland put City ahead in the first half after converting a header from close range, making amends for his penalty miss earlier in the contest. Liverpool responded after 39 minutes as Virgil van Dijk headed home from a Mohamed Salah corner, but the assistant referee then raised his flag for offside.
Liverpool protested, confused as to why Van Dijk was offside from a corner, but the official claimed that defender Andy Robertson was standing in an offside position. The officials believed that Robertson obstructed the view of City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, which interfered with play.
The decision instantly sparked controversy, as Neville claimed on Sky Sports that Liverpool's head coach, Arne Slot, had a right to be furious. Former Premier League goalkeeper Tim Howard also admitted on USA Network that the goal should have been awarded.
The Premier League explained why Van Dijk's goal had been canceled on X. "The referee's call of offside and no goal to Liverpool was checked and confirmed by VAR – with Robertson in an offside position and deemed to be making an obvious action directly in front of the goalkeeper."
To rub salt in Liverpool's wounds, City ended up doubling the lead before halftime. With so many stoppages in the first half, there were seven minutes of additional time, and midfielder Nico Gonzalez put City 2-0 up.
Andrew Robertson was reportedly obstructing Gianluigi Donnarumma's view
Andrew Robertson was reportedly obstructing Gianluigi Donnarumma's view (Image: AFP or licensors)
Despite the second goal, the halftime conversation centered around Van Dijk's canceled strike. "I think he is outside the eyeline of the goalkeeper," Neville said on Sky Sports.
"I think Slot is right to be fuming. The goalkeeper is not getting anywhere near that. He had a clear line of sight."
According to the official FA rulebook, preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent’s line of vision is an offside offense. However, it's been argued that Van Dijk's header would have gone in regardless.
The screens at the Etihad Stadium explained why Virgil van Dijk's goal was ruled out
The screens at the Etihad Stadium explained why Virgil van Dijk's goal was ruled out (Image: AFP or licensors)
Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy told the BBC: "That goal should stand. Robertson is not in Donnarumma's line of vision."
"I don't think he was in the goalkeeper's eyeline," added former Premier League striker Dion Dublin. "I have seen it two or three times and if anyone could be in his eyeline it would be Jeremy Doku. Robertson is in an offside position, but he is not in his eyeline."
The other controversial decision came early in the first half, as City was awarded a penalty following a VAR intervention. City winger Jeremy Doku capitalized on a defensive error and drove into the penalty area, and was clipped by Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.
City still had two efforts at the Liverpool goal as the ball stayed in play, but VAR suggested that referee Chris Kavanagh review the incident on the pitchside monitor. Haaland's penalty was saved by Mamardashvili.