Liverpool Questions VAR Decision on Van Dijk’s Disallowed Goal Against Manchester City

Liverpool Football Club has reached out to Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) to express their concerns regarding the decision to disallow Virgil van Dijk’s goal during their recent 3-0 defeat to Manchester City.

In the 38th minute, with Manchester City leading 1-0, Van Dijk seemed to have equalized with a header. However, this effort was ruled out by the on-field referee, a decision that was upheld after a Video Assistant Review (VAR).

The VAR determined that Andrew Robertson was in an offside position, as he was positioned in front of goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and was seen to have made a significant action by ducking in his line of sight.

Nonetheless, Liverpool contests this ruling, arguing that the criteria for an offside offense, as specified in the rules, were not satisfied. They maintain that referee Chris Kavanagh made an incorrect decision in disallowing the goal.

After reviewing footage from various angles, the club disputes the claim that Robertson’s positioning obstructed Donnarumma’s line of sight. Furthermore, they express confusion as to why the VAR process, overseen by Michael Oliver, did not result in the goal being awarded.

While Liverpool acknowledges the final result of the match, they deemed it necessary to contact Howard Webb, the head of PGMOL, to articulate their concerns. The club believes that this incident warrants challenge and scrutiny.

According to the relevant wording in Law 11, a player in an offside position can only be penalized when they become active by interfering with play or obstructing an opponent’s ability to play the ball in a manner that clearly impacts the game.