VAR NO GOAL
Liverpool’s recent 3-0 defeat at Manchester City was marked by a contentious decision to disallow a goal scored by Virgil van Dijk. The incident occurred when the Reds captain’s header was ruled out due to Andy Robertson’s interference, adjudged to be in an offside position, affecting Gianluigi Donnarumma’s ability to make a save. This decision came at a crucial moment in the match, as it would have leveled the score after Erling Haaland had given City the lead.
Jamie Carragher said: “For me, it’s a goal. You maybe think you can see why it’s been given, you look at Andy Robertson’s position, is he impacting the goalkeeper? Keep an eye on Donnarumma and where he shifts his weight, Donnarumma’s weight is going to his right, so he’s moving the opposite way, his foot has planted at exactly the time it goes over Andy Robertson’s head. That is the true moment we should be looking at, not when it leaves Van Dijk’s head, but when Robertson makes an action to get out of the way of the ball. Exactly [the duck is irrelevant], he can see everything, his initial movement to the right and he’s now diving full stretch. He’s not impacting him one bit, he’s already diving at full stretch for the header because he misreads it. He thinks the ball is going in the other side, he can see it clearly, Robertson getting out of the way of the ball, and you’ve mentioned the rules, it has absolutely no bearing on what happens here.”
The disallowed goal has sparked debate among football pundits, with Jamie Carragher expressing his disagreement with the decision. Carragher argued that Robertson’s position did not impact Donnarumma’s ability to make the save, as the goalkeeper had already committed to a dive in the opposite direction. The timing of the decision also raised eyebrows, as it came 13 seconds after the ball had crossed the line and Van Dijk had started celebrating.
Carragher added: “The ball has gone in, you’re not quite sure, let VAR look at it. Thirteen seconds later they put the flag up, we talk about Man City getting a bit of luck for the Haaland goal, Liverpool have definitely been unlucky there but Man City were not lucky to win the game.”
The match saw Liverpool struggling to find their rhythm against a dominant Manchester City side, managed by Arne Slot. The disallowed goal could have provided a much-needed boost for the Reds, who were trailing after Haaland’s opener. Instead, City capitalized on their momentum, with Nico Gonzalez doubling their lead just before halftime through a deflected effort.
The decision to disallow Van Dijk’s goal has reignited discussions about the use of VAR and the consistency of officiating in the Premier League. As the season progresses, such incidents continue to highlight the challenges faced by referees and the technology used to support them.
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