Several Liverpool supporters were left perplexed by the referee’s decision to allow Manchester City’s initial goal during the critical showdown at Anfield over the weekend.
The opening goal materialized when Kevin De Bruyne executed a cunningly devised corner kick that pinpointed center back John Stones, who found himself unmarked at the near post. With precision, the England international capitalized on the opportunity, slotting the ball past Caoimhin Kelleher from close quarters. Nevertheless, scrutiny arose regarding the events leading up to the goal, as Nathan Ake’s actions seemingly impeded Alexis Mac Allister’s attempt to track back and thwart the pass to Stones.
Many Reds enthusiasts took to social media platforms, drawing parallels between this incident and a recent VAR decision during the Carabao Cup final. In that match, Virgil van Dijk’s second-half header was disallowed due to Wataru Endo obstructing Chelsea defender Levi Colwill. Despite preventing Colwill’s forward movement, Endo was positioned in an offside stance, resulting in the goal being nullified. This comparison sparked debates about consistency in officiating within the league.
A prevalent argument emerged among fans, asserting the impossibility of being offside from a corner kick. Therefore, match officials, including VAR, were not prompted to review potential offside infractions during De Bruyne’s delivery of the corner. This sentiment was echoed by former Premier League referee Mike Dean, who commended the ingenuity behind Manchester City’s corner strategy.
However, scrutiny remained regarding Ake’s actions, with suggestions that his involvement might have constituted a foul, potentially depriving a Liverpool player of a legitimate chance to prevent their team from falling behind. Nevertheless, not all former Liverpool players shared this perspective, as Jamie Carragher emphasized the need for greater assertiveness from Mac Allister in defending the front post.
In essence, while some Liverpool fans questioned the validity of Manchester City’s goal, others highlighted the need for consistency in officiating decisions, particularly regarding similar incidents in recent matches.