Liverpool has officially raised concerns with the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) regarding the disallowed goal by Virgil van Dijk during their recent 3-0 defeat against Manchester City. The decision, which occurred in the 38th minute, sparked controversy as Van Dijk's header, which would have leveled the score, was ruled out due to Andy Robertson being judged offside and impeding goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
The initial call was made by referee Chris Kavanagh, who was assisted by the video assistant referee (VAR). Liverpool, while accepting the final result of the match, believes a mistake was made in the offside decision and has sought clarification from PGMOL.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot compared the incident to a similar situation involving John Stones against Wolves last season, where Kavanagh was also the referee. Robertson, speaking after the match, expressed his belief that the goal should have stood, highlighting the difficulty of the officials' job but questioning the outcome of the VAR review.
The Premier League Match Centre explained the decision on social media, stating that Robertson was in an offside position and deemed to be interfering with the goalkeeper. However, a community note on the post suggested that the interpretation of the offside rule in this context is open to debate.
Slot, discussing the incident post-match, stated, "I think it's obvious and clear that the wrong decision has been made, at least in my opinion. Because he [Robertson] didn't interfere at all with what the goalkeeper could do."
The incident has sparked a discussion among football experts, with former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher noting the subjective nature of such decisions. Gallagher emphasized that the final call was made by the assistant referee on the field, with VAR confirming the offside position but not necessarily the impact on the goalkeeper.
Liverpool's appeal to PGMOL comes amid ongoing debates about the application of offside rules and the role of VAR in Premier League matches. The club has reviewed multiple camera angles and maintains that Robertson did not impede Donnarumma's line of sight, challenging the interpretation of the offside law in this particular scenario.
PGMOL has been contacted for further comment on the matter.
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