The club are said to have requested further information from the refereeing board regarding a disallowed goal from Sunday’s game
Liverpool have reportedly contacted the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) for further clarification on the disallowed Virgil van Dijk goal against Manchester City.
The club’s hierarchy appears dissatisfied with the decision, sparking debate over the interpretation of the offside rules.
In the match on Sunday, which was watched around the world by millions, including on hesgoal TV, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk seemed to have equalised just before half-time with a powerful header from a Mohamed Salah corner.
However, the goal was ruled out following a VAR review. The review determined that Andy Robertson, who did not touch the ball, was in an offside position and was deemed to be interfering with the goalkeeper’s ability to make a save.
The Premier League’s official statement explained that Robertson was “making an obvious action directly in front of the goalkeeper,” who was unable to save Van Dijk’s header partly due to Robertson’s presence.
Despite Robertson ducking out of the goalkeeper’s line of vision, officials maintained that his position affected the goalkeeper’s ability to play the ball, leading to the goal being ruled out.
It has now been reported that Liverpool have contacted PGMOL for more information on the situation. The club stated that they do not accept that the decision was arrived at for subjective reasons. They believe that the law’s wording is clear and that none of the criteria needed to disallow the goal were met, so it should have been allowed to stand.
The conflict is rooted in Law 11 of the FA rulebook, which deals with offside.
Whether anything meaningful will arise from Liverpool’s complaint remains to be seen. However, this incident marks another instance of the club expressing dissatisfaction with the referee governing body.
This follows a similar controversy surrounding Luis Diaz’s disallowed goal vs Tottenham back in 2023.
This situation underscores the ongoing debates around the interpretation of offside rules in football and the need for clarity and consistency in decision-making. For fans, understanding these rules and their application can significantly impact their engagement with the game.
By Craig Resnik-Hanson, Sports Journalist
Image Source: unsplash.com
