In a match filled with contentious moments, Liverpool emerged victorious with a 1-0 win over Everton. The game featured several talking points, including a controversial decision involving Everton captain James Tarkowski and Liverpool’s Luis Diaz. The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) chief, Howard Webb, provided clarity on the VAR decision that allowed Liverpool’s goal to stand.
Webb explained the decision on the Mic’d Up programme, stating that Diaz did not interfere with play despite being in an offside position. He emphasized that the key factor was Diaz’s lack of action to interfere with an opponent, which justified the goal’s validity.
Howard Webb said, “It’s all about what you do whilst in that position and you have to do one of the things here [listed in the video], to be penalised for offside interfering with an opponent. We don’t see Luis Diaz do any of these things whilst in the offside position, he just stands there. Now you can feel a little bit sorry for Tarkowski here because he stretches out to stop the ball going through to Luis Diaz, but that ship sails some time ago, whereby if you’re just in that offside position and don’t do anything behind a defender you won’t be penalised. And that’s what we see in this situation here. You hear the VAR talking about ‘was there a challenge?’ There wasn’t. He wasn’t challenging. He was standing there and that’s why they correctly allowed this goal to stand.”
Despite the explanation, Everton manager David Moyes was vocal in his disagreement, labeling the goal as a “clear offside” and suggesting that the officials had erred in their judgment.
David Moyes said, “It’s quite easy to read as well, it’s not even a difficult one, if you ask me. But not surprised that decision at Anfield you don’t get.”
The match also marked a significant moment for Everton as they prepare to leave their historic Goodison Park. As the club transitions to their new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, fans can commemorate the iconic ground with a special souvenir edition produced by the ECHO, celebrating the rich history and legends of Goodison Park.
**Tags:** Liverpool-Club, Everton-Club, Howard-Webb, VAR, 2024-2025-Season
