The opening day of the new Premier League season brought with it familiar VAR errors after Bournemouth‘s Marcos Senesi was let off for an obvious handball.
Liverpool had to spring into action late against Bournemouth after they surrendered their 2-0 lead, but they could have been playing the majority of the match against 10 men.
With Hugo Ekitike running towards goal, Bournemouth defender Senesi sought to make an intercept and while the ball brushed off his elbow in doing so, it was his next move that was red card-worthy.
As the ball bounced towards Liverpool’s No. 22, Senesi reached his arm out, as though playing basketball, to redirect it away from the pacey striker as the last defender.
"That's a poor decision."
Was Hugo Ekitike denied a clear goal-scoring opportunity by Bournemouth's Marcos Senesi? ? pic.twitter.com/oFk8xHiGm6
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 18, 2025
Referee Anthony Taylor bizarrely awarded a foul against Liverpool and VAR Michael Oliver did not review the full incident. A clear “mistake,” says former referee Dermot Gallagher.
Speaking on Ref Watch as Sky Sports’ referee analyst, Gallagher echoed the views of many that Oliver “looked at it too quickly” and missed the clear and obvious handball offence.
“I think this is a really interesting situation. The VAR, for me, has looked at it too quickly and cleared it,” Gallagher said.
“I think he’s seen the ball fly up off Senesi and has not watched the second part.
“He’s seen the ball hit the elbow off the knee and stopped looking, he hasn’t looked for the second swipe. I think, if he sends the referee to the screen, the referee has all options.
“Firstly, he can send him off, which I think he probably would do because Ekitike is going to be away. The only doubt is, is it too far from goal? But he’s a class forward.
“The game restarted with a free-kick to Bournemouth rather than to Liverpool.
“The minimum that would’ve happened if he had gone to the screen would’ve been Liverpool restart with a free-kick, but I think if it goes to the screen it’s a red card.
“It was a mistake and fortunately, it didn’t affect the outcome of the game.”
The Premier League Match Centre at the time stated that the call of no red card was checked and confirmed as it was not a “clear handball offence nor denial of a goal scoring opportunity, due to the distance from goal.”
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Alongside Gallagher in the studio was Jay Bothroyd, former Cardiff striker, and he was exasperated over how the full incident was not reviewed by Oliver when it was freely available.
“To me, that’s rubbish. Ok, the elbow could be accidental. But where Senesi reaches for the ball, it comes away from his hand, he’s clearly gone for it. It should be a red card,” he said.
“Why would VAR not watch the whole action? Everyone could see it. They were too quick to judge, they needed to let it play.”
Thankfully, Liverpool went on to take all three points, but it instils, yet again, a lack of confidence in VAR to correctly review incidents and take the action needed.