Liverpool looked to have made it 1-1 in Sunday's clash with Manchester City before Virgil van Dijk's goal was ruled out for offside and VAR concurred with the on-field decision
Virgil van Dijk celebrates
Virgil van Dijk's celebration was cut short(Image: Getty Images)
View 3 Images
A deflated Andy Robertson says that Liverpool's squad were left 'hugely frustrated' after Virgil van Dijk's equaliser against Manchester City was controversially disallowed. In the first half, Liverpool captain Van Dijk headed in Mo Salah's corner, appearing to making it 1-1 after City took the lead through Erling Haaland.
But the goal was ruled out after Robertson was adjudged to have interfered with City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. A post from the Premier League's official Match Centre account on X stated that Robertson was 'deemed to be making an obvious action directly in front of the goalkeeper'. Liverpool have since contacted the PGMOL to question the decision officially with referees' chief Howard Webb.
Pep Guardiola's men extended their lead before half-time through Nico Gonzalez, with Jeremy Doku making it 3-0 in the second 45. Post-match, Robertson expressed Liverpool's disappointment over the decision by saying: "I think initially they were looking at whether I was in the eyesight of the goalkeeper.
"I think everyone can rule that out. I think if they say that then there will be obviously bigger problems. But it's clear that I'm not in the eyesight of the goalkeeper, but I think then they kind of change that a little bit and say that obviously the fact that I ducked, but in my opinion, that makes me smaller, so it makes it easier for the goalkeeper to see the ball and I don't think [Donnarumma] gets it regardless, in my opinion.
"I don't think anyone will disagree with that but the referee gives it, obviously the linesman gives it offside and then obviously it goes to VAR and you think it's going to be a perfectly good goal and then they obviously show it on the big screen which makes us all hugely frustrated. But it's one of the ones; it's difficult for the ref.
"I felt obviously sorry for the ref, you look for the VAR to kind of help him out. I think now people are saying there's a quite similar example with City from Wolves away last season and that got given, so it's obviously a grey area. It's hugely frustrating and it would have got us right back in the game when we probably didn't deserve it, so it was a crucial moment in the game."
Robertson went on to say: "[It was] tough. I think they got the better of us in the first half. I thought they made it really difficult for us. I thought they played really well, which sometimes you have to say and I don't think we were quite at the levels we've shown in the last two games.
Virgil van Dijk
Manchester City got their way as Virgil van Dijk's goal was ruled out
View 3 Images
"I think we scored a perfectly good goal at 1-0, which probably completely changes everything if you go into 1-1 when you maybe don't deserve it. And, yeah, I don't agree with the excuse they've given but then you move on and then we concede a deflected goal which is just so frustrating.
"Then in the second half, I thought we battled hard and maybe could have got a goal with the balls flashing across the face, but we weren't quite at the levels today and I thought they played a really, really good game. It's hard to answer because we're hugely disappointed to get beat 3-0 by City, but I think City playing the way they did today beat everyone in the league.
"In my opinion, if they play like that and the way that they did, they beat everyone in the league. We came up against a really good City team today, but if we're a really Liverpool side today, then the result is probably different and that's where it comes short. We didn't perform the way we know we can and that's what our frustrations are at.
Virgil van Dijk
Liverpool were 'hugely frustrated' with the decision
View 3 Images
"Obviously, 3-0 is not a pretty result. Hugely frustrating and I'm sure we'll have regrets, but it's now important that this week has been a good week apart from today. We were making strides; we put two really good performances in and I think in parts today we played okay.
"It's important that now we go on an international break, we come back and then hopefully kick on because we need consistency. I think everyone said that. We need to now go on consistently putting in good performances and, obviously, let's see where that takes us."
Liverpool return to action following the international break when they face Nottingham Forest at Anfield.
Content Image
Content Image