Liverpool suffered a 3-2 defeat to Manchester United on Sunday and the Reds were also left fuming over VAR controversy, with manager Arne Slot claiming referees have been making decisions against his side all season
19:16, 03 May 2026
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Arne Slot was furious with VAR following defeat at Manchester United
Arne Slot delivered a passionate outburst slamming VAR decisions and a persistent weakness in his Liverpool side following a disappointing defeat at Manchester United.
The injury-ravaged Reds suffered a 3-2 Premier League reverse at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon, having rallied from a woeful first-half display to draw level through Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo strikes after the interval before Kobbie Mainoo netted the decisive goal 13 minutes from time.
United had found the net twice within the opening 14 minutes, initially via a deflected Matheus Cunha effort and then a Benjamin Sesko close-range finish that stood following an extended VAR review despite the ball potentially brushing his fingernails on its way into the net.
Liverpool's Dutch manager Arne Slot reacts during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on May 3, 2026. (Photo by Darren Staples / AFP via Getty Images) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. /
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Arne Slot furiously hit out at the officiating(Image: DARREN STAPLES, AFP via Getty Images)
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While frustrated by his side's failure to prevent Sesko from getting the opportunity to score, an angry Slot highlighted what he considers the most recent in a series of dubious VAR decisions against his team this campaign.
"If it was a touch, which I think it is because if you know a bit about ball sports, you know that if a ball has a certain curve and the curve changes, there must have been a contact," said the Reds boss.
"But if it's light then we should have a debate in football about whether that's enough to disallow a goal. But the rule is if there was a touch then it should have been disallowed.
"I don't think it's a surprise to anyone this season that if there's a VAR intervention or if there's something that could be left or could be right (50-50) then the decision goes against us.
"That has been the whole season every single time this season. I remember Paris Saint-Germain at home, getting a penalty for a soft touch on Mac Allister but of course the VAR intervenes and says no, no, no, this is not a penalty. Then one week later when I see Paris Saint-Germain play against Bayern Munich and get that same soft touch but the penalty stays.
"I saw last week my goalkeeper on the floor with an injury and the referee doesn't stop the game. I see a player of United off the pitch today and the referee stops the game when we try to play on. That has been our whole season."
Slot continued: "But the second goal we didn't concede because of a handball, we conceded it because we lost the ball in a stupid position and we lost a few big moments afterwards in duels.
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"We have to first look at ourselves, that is completely clear and obvious, but that decisions have gone every single game against us, that's also completely clear and obvious.
"When we played United the first time this season, I had one of my players needing five stitches on the floor, and the referee didn't stop the game and we conceded. This is a complete pattern over the whole season, but there is also a pattern that we concede ridiculous goals when we are the better team, one or two are switching off and then we concede a goal.
"That we have more influence on, so I should focus much more on that than on these referee decisions that go against us. It's clear that it's the whole season the same."