VAR right to stay out of Liverpool-Man City penalty decision says referees’ chief

VAR right to stay out of Liverpool-Man City penalty decision says referees’ chief

Referees’ chief Howard Webb has said the video assistant referee (VAR) was right not to interfere as Liverpool were not given a late penalty in their recent 1-1 draw with Manchester City.

City winger Jeremy Doku caught Alexis Mac Allister with a high boot in the area in the final seconds of the match.

But on-field referee Michael Oliver did not award the Reds a spot-kick, and VAR Stuart Attwell agreed.

“It’s split a lot of opinion, hasn’t it?” said Webb.

“It’s one of those, for sure – if the referee gives it on the field, it would have been a ‘check complete’ by the VAR.

“Equally, having not given it, it’s also ‘check complete’. You hear Michael Oliver say the ball’s in between two players going together.

“The ball is too low to head. Doku lifts his foot to play the ball, and he does make contact on the ball.

“And yes, we know there’s some contact on Mac Allister as well. Mac Allister comes into him. Mac Allister is not really playing the ball either. So, I understand why it’s split opinion.”

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and Mac Allister both felt the challenge should have resulted in a penalty for their side.

“The VAR stays out of it. I think that is what we would we would expect,” added Webb on Match Officials Mic’d Up, a Premier League Productions programme which analyses VAR decisions from previous games.

“The VAR looks at it and doesn’t see a clear-and-obvious situation. You see something that’s pretty subjective and therefore stays out of it, and the feedback we’ve had from people within the game is that this is a pretty subjective situation. It’s split opinion.

“So on that basis, the VAR, working to that high threshold kind of followed the right course in not getting involved.”

Webb previously said that Liverpool should have had a penalty in December’s 1-1 draw against Arsenal, while the Reds were also on the wrong side of a decision when VAR wrongly ruled out a Luis Diaz goal in a 2-1 defeat by Tottenham – an error acknowledged by referees’ governing body PGMOL.

West Ham 1-1 Aston Villa (17 March) – Tomas Soucek goal disallowed for handball
The Hammers thought they had scored a late winner against Villa in their 1-1 draw when Tomas Soucek got on the end of James Ward-Prowse’s free-kick, which appeared to strike team-mate Jarrod Bowen before going in.

Referee Jarred Gillett awarded the goal but, after VAR Tony Harrington recommended it be disallowed for a Soucek handball after a check that took more than five minutes, Gillett reviewed the incident on a screen and agreed it should be chalked off.

“It was quite a complicated sequence, wasn’t it, with quite a lot going off?” said Webb.

“If they look at one angle and see that it’s hit Bowen’s arm, then they can very quickly just recommend that the goal gets disallowed, just like they have to worry about an offside.

“You don’t have to worry about Soucek’s involvement because the goal can never stand, but they don’t find that angle that shows it’s hit Bowen’s arm so they then go back to Soucek, check and when they look at Soucek they see that it’s the arm.

“Then there’s a question: is it deliberate or not? And that’s when they have to send the referee to the screen to have a look at it. So that again takes a bit more time.”

In the same match, Villa winger Leon Bailey saw his cross strike the arm of Hammers left-back Emerson Palmieri with the teams level.

The VAR failed to overturn the on-field decision from Gillett despite the defender’s right arm being out.

“His arm is already there and the ball actually finds his arm,” said Webb.

“It’s a bit away from the body, hence the reason why some people think they should be penalised. I think it would have been really harsh.”

Aston Villa
West Ham 2-2 Burnley (10 March) – no penalty awarded against Sander Berge
Another late decision that went against West Ham took place against Burnley when the Hammers came back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2.

But they were denied a penalty after the ball hit Clarets midfielder Sander Berge’s hand.

VAR Andy Madley looked at the incident and a penalty was not awarded because Berge had headed the ball onto his own hand when attempting to clear it.

“To be clear, this cannot be handball,” said Webb.

“Berge heads the ball onto his own arm. The laws of the game are quite explicit in that if a player plays the ball onto his own arm, it can’t be a handball offence.

“Unless of course, there’s a secondary action that moves the arm into the ball after the player has played it.”

The Mic’d Up programme also looked at Burnley’s Josh Brownhill getting a red card for bringing down Crystal Palace’s Jefferson Lerma on 24 February.

The game was goalless at the time and Palace went on to win 3-0.

“A pretty clear situation,” said Webb. “When we’re looking at a ‘Denial Of A Goalscoring Opportunity’, we look at four elements.

“Was the play moving towards goal? What was the distance from goal? Did the attacking player have possession and control or [was] likely to have possession or control of the ball? And what’s the location of the other defenders? Could they interject to prevent that attack?

“In this situation we see all four elements are present and, therefore, when the foul happens it’s denied an obvious goalscoring opportunity and, therefore, a red card comes in this situation.”

He added: “This situation is pretty clear, good decision by the officials.”

Aston Villa 0-4 Tottenham (10 March) – red card for John McGinn
Villa were 2-0 down to Tottenham when John McGinn made a late tackle on Spurs left-back Destiny Udogie.

Referee Christopher Kavanagh showed the Scotland midfielder a red card and VAR Tim Robinson confirmed the decision.

“What we do see is McGinn take a really strong sort of kicking action into the opponent and the law only asks us to identify whether the action has excessive force or brutality,” added Webb.

“And this one I think clearly does. The officials did as well.”

Log in
TRENDING
PREMIER LEAGUE
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
NBA
NFL
BOXING
UFC
MORE
FOOTBALL ON TV
TRANSFER RUMOURS
EURO 2024
Join Our Team
Newsletter
Advertise With Us
Log In
Join Our Content Team
Home
Sponsored
Contact Us
Legal
About
Privacy Policy
Editorial Policy
Accessibility
Terms
Owned & Operated by Valnet Inc.
Copyright © 2024 www.givemesport.com
Pep Lijnders Waiting for Liverpool Decision After Ajax Links
BY
DEAN JONES
AND
MATT SMITH
PUBLISHED 1 HOUR AGO
Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders might be considering the prospect of replacing Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.

HIGHLIGHTS
Pep Lijnders could delay Ajax job to possibly step up at Liverpool.
The 41-year-old is favourite for the Ajax role, but it’s yet to be confirmed.
Lijnders is ready to return to management after being Jurgen Klopp’s assistant.
Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders is considered the favourite to take over at Ajax as of next season, but he could be delaying taking the job in case the Reds struggle to find a replacement for Jurgen Klopp, meaning he can step up, according to GIVEMESPORT sources.

Klopp announced back in January that he would be leaving Anfield at the end of the campaign, with the Merseyside outfit now searching for the right replacement. It’s a difficult task for the decision-makers at Liverpool considering the culture and success Klopp has brought to the club, and Lijnders is certainly no stranger to that, playing a crucial part himself.

Lijnders Could be Waiting for Liverpool Promotion
With Liverpool now searching for Klopp’s successor, it’s been suggested that the ideal man could already be in the dugout alongside the German manager. Former Reds defender Phil Thompson has recently claimed that he would have no problems seeing the 41-year-old promoted to the managerial role at the end of the campaign. TalkSPORT duo Alan Brazil and Dean Saunders also proposed that many of the current playing squad at Anfield would love to see Lijnders given the job as it would give a sense of continuity after Klopp and would prefer him over Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso. Sources have now confirmed to GMS that it wouldn’t be in Lijnders’ best interest to accept the Ajax job right now in case Liverpool’s search for a Klopp replacement doesn’t go to plan and he could make the step up.

As it stands, that situation isn’t looking likely with Lijnders still the favourite to take over at Ajax, but it could be a reason why he’s yet to be officially appointed as manager of the Dutch side. It’s something to keep an eye on over the next few months, especially if Liverpool struggle to find the right man to take over at Anfield.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Pep Lijnders has managed 22 games in his career so far for Dutch side NEC Nijmegen, winning 11, drawing four, and losing seven, averaging 1.68 points per game.

RELATED
How Many Liverpool Games Jurgen Klopp has Left
Pep Lijnders Favourite for Ajax Job
According to GMS sources, Lijnders is still considered the favourite to take charge of Eredivisie side Ajax ahead of the 2024/2025 campaign. The Dutch outfit are in no immediate rush to confirm an appointment after John van’t Schip was brought in as caretaker, steadying the ship after a disappointing start to the season.

The Liverpool assistant is looking forward to becoming a manager in his own right and the prospect of being able to take over at Ajax next term is considered a perfect challenge for the 41-year-old. Ajax are enduring a disastrous season by their own high standards and currently find themselves 31 points behind PSV Eindhoven at the top of the table, so rebuilding the club and steering them back in the right direction is likely to be of interest to Lijnders.

All stats courtesy of Transfermarkt

GMS Weekly: Your Ticket To A Whole New Ball Game.

By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.

Link copied to clipboard
RELATED TOPICS
FOOTBALL
LIVERPOOL
PREMIER LEAGUE
JURGEN KLOPP
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Dean Jones
(234 Articles Published)
Dean Jones is a transfer insider, reporting on football transfer news for GIVEMESPORT.

He provides the latest updates on deals in the Premier League, Football League and across Europe, as well as writing a regular weekly transfer column on GMS.

Dean previously worked with Hayters, The Sunday People, Bleacher Report and Eurosport and now operates on a freelance basis for numerous outlets, including TEAMtalk.

He’s also part of the Ranks FC podcast and a columnist for Fulham Football Club, the club he has supported since childhood.

Dean has a long-running association with the transfer news team on GMS and is one of the site’s most important freelance contributors.

Matt Smith
(1792 Articles Published)
Matt Smith is a football writer covering the Premier League and exclusive news for GIVEMESPORT. Matt joined the company in March 2023 and is an avid Everton supporter who regularly attends games in his spare time

He has previously worked for CaughtOffside where he covered world football including transfers, match reports, previews, and more.

He also creates tactical analysis social media content and regularly appears on podcasts. After spending a few years coaching, playing, and analysing football, Matt moved over to the writing side of the game a few years ago.

He has amassed over 22,000 followers on X by giving his insight on football, predominantly focusing on the tactical side of the game.

 

RECOMMENDED ARTICLES
3:13

LIVERPOOL
20 Greatest Players In Liverpool History (Ranked)

LIVERPOOL
Richard Hughes Would be Michael Edwards’ First Liverpool Target

LIVERPOOL
Virgil van Dijk’s Incredible Pre-Game Speech to Liverpool Youngsters

LIVERPOOL
Darwin Nunez Scores in 99th Minute as Liverpool Beat Nottingham Forest

CELTIC
Celtic Will ‘Try to Sign’ Caoimhin Kelleher from Liverpool

PREMIER LEAGUE
The 12 Greatest Goals in Premier League History (Ranked)
Join Our Content Team
Home
Sponsored
Contact Us
Legal
About
Privacy Policy
Editorial Policy
Accessibility
Terms
Owned & Operated by Valnet Inc.
Copyright © 2024 www.givemesport.com

‘Amazing’… Gary Lineker says £34m Liverpool player is even better than Ryan Giggs was

Mohamed Salah has established himself as one of the best wingers in Premier League history.

The Egyptian may well hit 200 English league goals before his Liverpool career is done, and he has to now be considered one of the best players to ever play in this country.

Speaking on the BBC Match of the Day Top 10 Podcast, Gary Lineker, Micah Richards and Alan Shearer have been ranking their 10 best wingers in Premier League history, and Salah, inevitably, was close to the top of their lists.

Alan Shearer put Salah in second-place just behind Ryan Giggs, but Lineker disagreed with that view, stating that the Liverpool star should be higher than the Welshman in such a list.

Mohamed Salah is better than Ryan Giggs
Lineker spoke about the £34m Liverpool man and Giggs.

“I would’ve had him above Ryan Giggs. Ryan Giggs was amazing, what a career. I played in one of Ryan Giggs’ first-ever games and it was my last game in the English league and I thought ‘who is this kid’. A remarkable career, there’s not much between the two, but Salah’s goalscoring ratio would be way better,” Lineker said.

Salah has been absolutely amazing
Giggs was a fantastic player in his own right – his trophy haul speaks for itself, but, in terms of individuality, Salah is on another level.

Salah is the main man in a Liverpool team that has been utterly brilliant in recent years, while Giggs was one of many important cogs in an incredible Man United team.

To put it bluntly, Giggs wouldn’t have been able to do what Salah has done in recent years, but Salah probably could’ve played a key role in that United team of the 1990s and 2000s.

Giggs may have the greater CV, but in terms of talent, Salah is on another level to the Welsh legend.

Trent Alexander-Arnold has sent clear message to Arsenal’s Ben White after England snub
Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold has opened up on his England career to date and has refused to hold a grudge against Gareth Southgate for overlooking him

footballlondon
SHARE
Bookmark

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ben White pictured together during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar (Image: Eddie Keogh – The FA/The FA via Getty Images)
Sign up to the free Arsenal newsletter so you don’t miss the latest Gunners news, straight to your inbox

Subscribe
More Newsletters
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info
Arsenal defender Ben White’s response to England international duty has been compared to that of Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold after the former Brighton man opted to be not considered for international duty.

Alexander-Arnold is often a hot topic whenever Gareth Southgate must choose between him and other stars such as Reece James and Kieran Trippier. The consistent ‘snubbing’ of Liverpool’s right-back has sparked suggestions that Southgate favours others over him, something the Three Lions’ boss finds baffling.

As we approach this summer’s Euros, it’s uncertain if Alexander-Arnold will be part of England’s plans. Yet despite his limited playtime representing England in the last two World Cups, Alexander-Arnold remains positive and believes his situation merely boils down to being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

The footballer shared in an interview with FourFourTwo earlier this month: “I think a lot of it comes down to timing. In a different era and different generation, I’d have played much more for my country.

“However, I’m a firm believer in my own ability, what I bring to a team and what I can do on a football pitch. I still believe I’ve got a big role to play with England, to go and help the team win silverware – whether I play every minute of a tournament or I play no minutes at all in a tournament.

“I fully understand that decisions have to be made and I’ll never throw my toys out the pram. I feel like I’ve enjoyed the good side of it at club level, as someone who knows he’s going to play most games, and I’ve got that trust in the manager. I’m fortunate enough to not have to think about that too much at Liverpool and just go and perform.”

READ MORE: Jenas makes strange White claim

READ MORE: Redknapp slams White’s ‘disgusting’ decision

This attitude towards England selection is in stark contrast to the current saga surrounding White. After announcing his squad last week for the March international break, Southgate informed the media that the defender had made himself unavailable for selection.

Like Alexander-Arnold, White has often been overlooked for others during Southgate’s reign but his decision to rule himself out of selection has caused upset many fans. The 26-year-old has earned just four England caps since his debut in 2021.

football.london Arsenal WhatsApp channel
Want to keep up to date with the breaking and important Arsenal stories whilst on the move? Well now you can!

Click this link to follow the football.london Arsenal WhatsApp channel, where you’ll be kept up to date on the latest Gunners news wherever you are.

Just remember to turn on the notifications once you’ve followed, and you won’t miss a beat!

READ NEXT:

Gabriel Magalhaes Arsenal injury explained as cryptic message sent after Brazil announcement
Arsenal face anxious Man City points deduction wait after latest Premier League decision
Sir Jim Ratcliffe makes Arsenal title race prediction amid surprise Mikel Arteta verdict
Ajax vs Chelsea Women live stream, TV channel and how to watch Champions League tie
Arsenal’s three Gabriel Magalhaes replacements for Man City clash as Jurrien Timber return looms
Follow Football London
Facebook
Twitter
MORE ON
England National TeamBen WhiteTrent Alexander-ArnoldLiverpoolGareth Southgate
Up Next

Gabriel Magalhaes Arsenal injury explained as cryptic message sent after Brazil announcement
ARSENAL
ALL
TOP STORIES
Arsenal transfer news LIVE as Edu opens talks over Gyokeres deal and huge Joshua Kimmich move
ARSENAL TRANSFER NEWS
Mikel Arteta to Barcelona odds slashed as major Arsenal summer fear emerges
MIKEL ARTETA
Two Real Madrid transfers tipped as Chelsea owners told how to help Mauricio Pochettino
CHELSEA
Arsenal can sign Mikel Arteta dream tactical transfer as perfect Thomas Partey replacement clear
ARSENAL TRANSFER NEWS
When is Soccer Aid 2024? Date, stadium, lineups, tickets and how to watch
SOCCER AID
Arsenal and Tottenham could land Roberto Firmino transfer repeat as timeline and price tag revealed
SUMMER TRANSFER WINDOW
Chelsea dealt double contract blow for possible Mauricio Pochettino replacement
CHELSEA TRANSFER NEWS
Inside Jurrien Timber’s injury return as Arsenal defender poised for impact during run-in
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Man City hit with Erling Haaland injury scare with Arsenal title clash just 12 days away
PREMIER LEAGUE
Edu can secure clever Arsenal boost over Bayern Munich with agreement before Champions League
ARSENAL
Mauricio Pochettino surprise next job announced as Chelsea could face nightmare summer scenario
MAURICIO POCHETTINO
Gabriel Magalhaes Arsenal injury explained as cryptic message sent after Brazil announcement
ARSENAL INJURY NEWS
ARSENAL
CHELSEA
SPURS
WEST HAM
CRYSTAL PALACE
FOLLOW US
Contact Us
About Us
Work for us
mynewsassistant
Competition Rules
How to Complain
Beauty Box Subscription
Corrections and Clarifications
Terms and Conditions
Notifications and Alerts Help
Privacy Notice
AI Notice
Cookie Notice
RSS feeds
Newsletters Signup
Syndication & Licensing
Do not sell or share my data
© 2024 a Reach plc subsidiary

LIVERPOOL FC NEWS
Dublin hotel chaos looming for Liverpool fans as 98 PER CENT of Europa League final beds already gone

3 MINS AGO
PETER STAUNTON
A staggering 98% of hotel accommodation in Dublin city centre for the night of the Europa League final is already booked up, over two months out from what could be potentially Jurgen Klopp’s final match in charge of Liverpool.

The Reds are through to the quarter-finals of the Europa League, where they face Atalanta over two legs. Should they come through that tie then two matches against either Benfica or Marseille await in the semi-finals.

The Europa League is the only trophy Klopp is yet to win as Liverpool manager and an Aviva Stadium send-off featuring a trophy win would be the ultimate way to bring the curtain down on his near nine-year spell at Anfield.

As it stands, the Reds are strong favourites to at least make it as far as Dublin.

 

DUBLIN HOTEL CHAOS LOOMING FOR LIVERPOOL FANS AS 98 PER CENT OF EUROPA LEAGUE FINAL BEDS ALREADY GONE
3 mins ago by Peter Staunton

MAN UTD MIDFIELDER LAUGHED AT JURGEN KLOPP’S POST-MATCH JOURNALIST ROW
48 mins ago by Peter Staunton

KEY MAN IN MANCHESTER CITY’S TITLE PUSH SEEN LIMPING DURING NATIONAL TEAM TRAINING
2 hours ago by Daryl Finch
However, accommodation chaos is threatening to ruin what could be Liverpool’s big night.

Current city-centre hotel occupancy rates are already at 98% for the night of the final, Wednesday 22 May, with the remainder of available prices out of reach for many supporters, even beds in shared accommodation.

Dublin is a small city by international hotel standards with around 24,000 beds in the Irish capital. It has been estimated by one recent report that its usual bed occupancy rates stand at 83.4%.

When an event such as the Europa League final or a big concert rolls into town, it has the effect of throttling hotel availability and pushing prices sky high.

A bed in an eight-person mixed dormitory with a shared bathroom and toilet is currently listed on Booking.com for £263 and there are precious few spaces of any kind left.

A search on the website revealed one double room available in the city centre for £496. At the time of writing there were only TWO MORE hotel rooms available in the entire city centre, at £727 and £846 per night respectively.

Some of the hotels searchable through Google with rooms available on the night of the game, a Wednesday, are asking for a minimum two or three-night booking. With prices at around £300 per night, that means an outlay of around £1000 for a three-night booking.

Other available accommodation is in the hinterlands, at Dublin Airport and beyond, with beds available in neighbouring counties like Wicklow and Kildare.

The picture on Airbnb is not much rosier with only around 300 beds still available for the night of the final, with many of those in Dublin’s suburbs and on the outskirts.

DUBLIN’S HOTEL ‘CALAMITY’
“There is a calamity every time there is a Taylor Swift concert or something like that and room prices go through the roof,” Mitchell McDermott CEO, Paul McDermott, told the Irish Independent in January upon the publication of the Mitchell McDermott Annual Construction Sector Report.

“Whenever there’s a big concert or game on in the city it is impossible to get a hotel room simply due to supply and demand.

“Dublin has an 83.4% occupancy rate, the highest across 35 European countries. There is also the fact that some existing hotels have been taken out of general public use for refugees and international protection.”

Failte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority, recently disclosed that around one in eight registered tourism beds is now in use by public contracts to accommodate Ukrainian refugees and international protection applicants.

The figure is sure to be an undershoot considering the number of non-registered beds that are also in use. 10% of Dublin tourist beds are currently contracted to the government.

IRELAND’S HUGE LIVERPOOL FANBASE
Ireland boasts a huge Liverpool fanbase and that’s before consideration is given to fans travelling from the UK and overseas.

It is going to be a disappointing night for many of the club’s fans should they reach the final with only around 13,000 tickets reportedly available for each team’s fans inside the Aviva Stadium.

A fan zone at Dublin Castle in the city centre will be quickly clogged up and plans are afoot to convert Croke Park, a Gaelic Games stadium of over 83,000 capacity, into an additional fan zone.

Even that won’t be enough given the number of fans sure to descend on the city in the event of Liverpool making it to the final.

 

DUBLIN HOTEL CHAOS LOOMING FOR LIVERPOOL FANS AS 98 PER CENT OF EUROPA LEAGUE FINAL BEDS ALREADY GONE
3 mins ago by Peter Staunton

LIVERPOOL’S RETURNING STARS POSE BIG QUESTION FOR JURGEN KLOPP IN RUN-IN
2 hours ago by Sam McGuire

WHICH LIVERPOOL PLAYERS HAVE BEEN CALLED UP FOR INTERNATIONAL DUTY IN MARCH?
3 hours ago by Andy Headspeath
SHARE THIS ARTICLE
JOIN THE COMMUNITY

1M
FOLLOWERS

450K
FOLLOWERS

160K
LIKES

FOLLOWERS
SHOP LIVERPOOL FC
TOP PREMIUM LFC GIFTS

LFC X LEBRON NIKE MENS FOOTBALL STADIUM JERSEY BLACK
SHOP NOW

LFC NIKE MENS 23/24 SHORT SLEEVE STRIKE TRAINING SHIRT GYM RED
SHOP NOW

LFC NIKE MENS 23/24 AWAY STADIUM JERSEY
SHOP NOW

LFC KLOPP FUNKO POP! LIMITED EDITION RED VINYL FIGURINE
SHOP NOW

Liverpool News 24/7

FIND US ON YOUTUBE
Every press conference from Jurgen along with exclusive content and features.

48 MINS AGO // PETER STAUNTON
MAN UTD MIDFIELDER LAUGHED AT JURGEN KLOPP’S POST-MATCH JOURNALIST ROW

2 HOURS AGO // DARYL FINCH
KEY MAN IN MANCHESTER CITY’S TITLE PUSH SEEN LIMPING DURING NATIONAL TEAM TRAINING

2 HOURS AGO // SAM MCGUIRE
LIVERPOOL’S RETURNING STARS POSE BIG QUESTION FOR JURGEN KLOPP IN RUN-IN
ENJOYING ANFIELD WATCH?
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR DAILY NEWSLETTER

3 HOURS AGO // ANDY HEADSPEATH
WHICH LIVERPOOL PLAYERS HAVE BEEN CALLED UP FOR INTERNATIONAL DUTY IN MARCH?

4 HOURS AGO // ANDY HEADSPEATH
LUIS DIAZ FITNESS UPDATE AFTER GROIN INJURY CONCERN
MORE LIVERPOOL FC STORIES

MAN UTD MIDFIELDER LAUGHED AT JURGEN KLOPP’S POST-MATCH JOURNALIST ROW
48 MINS AGO //