Virgil van Dijk saw his equaliser for Liverpool controversially ruled out by VAR
Virgil van Dijk.
Virgil van Dijk.
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Image: Getty Images)
PGMOL chief Howard Webb has given his verdict on Virgil van Dijk's disallowed goal for in their defeat to . The reigning champions suffered a 3-0 defeat at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
had put City ahead in the first half, but Liverpool thought they had an equaliser with a Van Dijk header. However, Van Dijk's goal was disallowed after Andy Robertson was judged to have been in an offside position and deemed to be interfering with play.
Chris Kavanagh was the referee for the game with Michael Oliver on VAR duties. Webb, appearing on the 'Match Officials Mic'd Up programme alongside Michael Owen, has defended the decision by the officials to disallow Van Dijk's goal against City.
"For sure Michael [Oliver], a huge decision in a big game," said Webb. "As the ball moves towards Robertson - three yards out from goal in the middle of the six-yard box - he makes that clear action to duck below the ball. It goes just over his head and finds the goal in the half of the six-yard box where he is.
"The officials have to make a judgement, did that clear action impact on the goalkeeper and his ability to save the ball? That's where the subjectivity comes into play.
"They looked at that action so close to the goalkeeper and formed that opinion.
"I know that's not a view held by everybody but it's not unreasonable to understand why [the officials] would form that conclusion when the player is so close to the goalkeeper, the ball is coming right towards him and he has to duck to get out of the way.
"They form the conclusion that it impacts Donnarumma's ability to dive towards the ball and make the save.
"Once they've made that on-field decision, the job of the VAR is to look at that and decide was the outcome clearly and obviously wrong.
"Only Donnarumma truly knows if he was impacted by this and we have to look at the factual evidence."
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