The Premier League have released the audio of the referee's as they came to the controversial decision that Andy Robertson was offside for Virgil van Dijk's goal
19:34, 11 Nov 2025Updated 19:34, 11 Nov 2025
The Premier League have released the audio
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The Premier League have released the audio
The Premier League have released the audio that led to the controversial decision to rule out Virgil van Dijk's goal.
Liverpool, having been outplayed at the Etihad Stadium, thought they had found a route back into Sunday's crunch clash with Manchester City thanks to Van Dijk's header.
However, the goal was chalked off after Andy Robertson was deemed to be an offside position, impeding the view of City's shot stopper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
On the Premier League match centre's X account, a explanation was posted: "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."
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And the Premier League have now released the audio: "Robertson, Robertson, Robertson," says Stuart Burt, who was the assistant referee. "Robertson's in the line of vision, right in front of the keeper.
"He's ducked under the ball. He's very, very close to him. I think his line of vision. I think he's been impacted, mate." And Chris Kavanagh responds: "OK, so offside then?"
"I think offside," Burt says. The voice of Michael Oliver can then be heard as he analyses the "clear offside position".
"You've got movement," Oliver adds. "Have you got a high-behind to show how high he is in terms of vision?" The assistant VAR says he's agrees with the on-field decision as there is an "obvious action."
"Confirming the offside decision," Oliver continues. "He's in an offside position, very close to the goalkeeper and makes an obvious movement directly in front of him."
Howard Webb explained why the decision was made
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Howard Webb explained why the decision was made
The audio was released in the Sky Sports studio, and explaining the decision, Howard Webb said: "It's important we look at the facts of what happened in this situation.
"We know the corner comes in and the ball reaches Van Dijk, and as the corner comes across the penalty area the Manchester City players move out and they leave Robertson offside.
"When Van Dijk heads the ball forwards that's when we have to make an offside judgement about Robertson and about what he's doing there.
"We know he doesn't touch the ball but what does he do? As the ball moves towards him, three yards out from goal, he makes that clear action to duck below the ball and it goes just over his head.
"The ball then finds the goal in the half of the six-yard box where he is. Then the officials have to make a judgement, did that clear action impact Donnarumma and his ability to save the ball.
"And that's where the subjectivity comes into play."
Howard Webb explained how subjectivity came into play
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Howard Webb explained how subjectivity came into play
According to Law 11 of the Football Association handbook, a player in an offside position is "only penalised on becoming involved in active play by: interfering with play by playing or touching a ball passed or touched by a team-mate…
"Or interfering with an opponent by: preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent's line of vision; or challenging an opponent for the ball.
"Or clearly attempting to play a ball which is close when this action impacts on an opponent or making an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball."
According to the Daily Mail, Liverpool have contacted PGMOL to question the decision made over the weekend.
Arne Slot's side have rejected the idea that the decision was arrived at for subjective reasons - instead believing it's criteria based. And they are keen to understand what criteria was reached.
Slot, himself, was furious at the decision: "He didn't interfere at all with what the goalkeeper could do.
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"Immediately after the game someone showed me the goal that the same referee allowed – City against Wolves last season (when Bernardo Silva was on the line for a John Stones header).
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"So it took the linesman 13 seconds to raise his flag to say it was offside. So there was clearly communication, but as I said that (goal) could have influenced the game in a positive way for us."
While Van Dijk said that "the officials are deciding the key decisions" and there was "no point discussing this from my point of view".