Virgil van Dijk‘s goal against Man City should not have been chalked off, according to the Premier League‘s Key Match Incidents panel.
The Liverpool captain headed home from a corner to make it 1-1 before a hugely controversial decision to disallow the goal due to Andy Robertson said to be interfering with play in Gianluigi Donnarumma’s eyeline in an offside position.
The panel comprises of three former players or coaches, a representative from the Premier League and another from PGMOL.
They have reviewed the decision and gone against referee Chris Kavanagh and his assistant Stuart Burt, according to the Times.
That said, the panel said they believe VAR was correct not to overturn the decision made on the pitch.
Liverpool fans were furious with the decision to rule out the goal, pointing out that Robertson was never in between the ball and Donnarumma, who had a clear line of sight.
Virgil van Dijk headed beyond Gianluigi Donnarumma but the goal was controversially disallowed
The Premier League’s Key Match Incidents panel said it should not have been chalked off
The VAR is only permitted to intervene when it comes to subjective decisions and is not supposed to change offside calls, hence the panel’s verdict that Michael Oliver, who was in the booth for the game, was right not to get involved.
After the game, Liverpool boss Arne Slot said: ‘I think it is obvious and clear the wrong decision has been made. He [Robertson] didn’t interfere at all with what the goalkeeper can do.’
The Reds contacted PGMOL as they did not accept that Donnarumma was impeded by the presence of Robertson and the Scotland captain was not in the goalkeeper’s line of vision.
The Liverpool boss said: ‘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).
‘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.’
But referees’ chief Howard Webb has launched a staunch defence of the decision on the Match Officials Mic’d Up show.
Webb said: ‘Interfering with an opponent where the offside position player doesn’t play the ball and the officials have to make a judgment whether the actions of that player impact an opponent, are some of the most subjective decisions that we have to make.
Howard Webb has launched a staunch defence of the decision to disallow Virgil van Dijk ‘s goal
‘Therefore, it’s no surprise that some people believe this goal should have stood, so I think it’s important that we look at the facts of what actually happened in this situation.
‘We know the corner comes in and the ball reaches Van Dijk. As the ball’s coming across the penalty area, the Manchester City players move out, they leave Robertson in that offside position in the heart of the six-yard box.
‘When Van Dijk heads the ball forward, that’s the moment when we have to make an offside judgment about Robertson and about what he’s doing there.
‘We know he doesn’t touch the ball but what does he do? Well, as the ball moves towards him, three yards out from goal, right in the middle of the six-yard box, he makes that clear action to duck below the ball.
‘The ball goes just over his head, and the ball finds the goal in the half of the six-yard box where he is. Then, the officials have to make a judgment – did that clear action impact on Donnarumma, the goalkeeper, and his ability to save the ball? And that’s where the subjectivity comes into play.
Liverpool were furious at the decision and pointed out that Andy Robertson did not interfere
‘Obviously that’s the conclusion they drew on that. They looked at that position, they looked at that action, so close to the goalkeeper, and they formed that opinion.’
They also televised the conversation the officials had when disallowing the goal.
As van Dijk scores, the AR2 (Second Assistant Referee) can be heard exclaiming: ‘Robertson, Robertson, Robertson. Robertson’s in line of vision, right in front of the keeper. He’s ducked under the ball. He’s very, very close to him. I think he’s line of vision. I think he’s been impacted, mate.’
Referee Chris Kavanagh then responds: ‘Ok, so offside then?’ to which the AR2 says: ‘I think offside.’
The VAR team led by Michael Oliver are then brought in – and they rule that Robertson is in an offside position before they consider if he has blocked Donnarumma’s vision.
Speaking to the referee, Oliver says: ‘Confirming the on-field decision off offside against Andy Robertson. He is in an offside position, very close to the goalkeeper, and makes an obvious movement directly in front of him. Check complete. Offside.’
Webb said while he understands his opinion to support the decision is ‘not a view held by everybody’ he argues that ‘it’s not unreasonable to understand why they would form that conclusion’.
