Liverpool manager Arne Slot admitted that he is not a fan of the interpretation of the offside law which ensured that Diogo Jota's goal stood in Wednesday's Merseyside derby victory.
With the Premier League game at Anfield goalless in the 57th minute, Ryan Gravenberch launched another probing Liverpool move with a pass into Everton's box. Luis Diaz was in an offside position but didn't make a move towards the ball which was intercepted by James Tarkowski.
Jota pounced upon the loose ball, combining with Diaz - who had moved back onside - and tiptoeing between a forest of tumbling blue shirts before slotting the game's only goal past Jordan Pickford.
The goal stood as Diaz was deemed to have not been "interfering with play", ensuring that Liverpool emerged with a derby victory to reestablish their 12-point lead at the Premier League summit. Yet, Slot was not impressed.
"The Reds BURST through on derby night!" ποΈ
Diogo Jota opens the scoring in the Merseyside derby in front of the Kop! π₯ pic.twitter.com/r2B3xRAfaa
β Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 2, 2025
"Do I like the rule? No, I don't like the rule," the Dutch boss huffed. "It's a rule that is not helping the team that wants to attack. Normally we go to the halfway line, they [the opposition] kick the ball long to a player who is in an offside position, and my centre-backs feel like they have to head the ball away.
"I always ask the linesman: 'Was he offside?' And they say: 'No, he was not interfering.' I hate that rule. But the execution of the rule was fortunately for us today, well done in that situation."
Moyes wasn't overly enamoured with the decision-making either. "Liverpool were the better team, no complaints with that," the Toffees boss admitted. "But it is disappointing to lose to a goal that is clearly offside. It is quite an easy one to give."
Tarkowski was involved in the first major flashpoint of the contest, narrowly escaping a red card despite sinking his studs into Alexis Mac Allister's calf. A VAR review deemed the challenge to be "reckless" rather than "dangerous".
Both managers agreed that Tarkowski was fortunate to avoid the first sending off of his Premier League career. "I thought at the time it was a brilliant tackle. But since I have seen it again, we could have been lucky we didn't get a red," Moyes admitted. "It was a high one. I think it was the follow through that looked worse."
Slot could barely bring himself to comment on the tackle. "I think everybody has said something about it so why should I add something to it?" he shrugged. "It's so obvious that itβs not necessary for me to comment."
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