Liverpool complain to PGMOL about Virgil van Dijk’s disallowed goal at Man City

By Carl Markham, PA

Liverpool have contacted referees’ chief Howard Webb to raise concerns about the interpretation of the rules concerning Virgil van Dijk’s disallowed goal in the 3-0 defeat to Manchester City.

The Netherlands captain’s header was ruled out on the field and reviewed by VAR due to Andy Robertson, in an offside position, ducking under the ball.

It was a pivotal moment with the score at 1-0 and afterwards head coach Arne Slot said it was “obvious and clear a wrong decision had been made”.

A statement from the Premier League Match Centre at the time claimed Robertson was “deemed to be making an obvious action directly in front of the goalkeeper” but the PA news agency understands Liverpool do not agree with the premise.

They do not accept any elements were met of the criteria relating to the wording of Law 11, relating to what constitutes offside, and are also of the view the usual checks and balances in the VAR process did not take place.

Having scrutinised all available footage the club reject the assertion goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma’s view was impeded by Robertson as he was not in the Italian’s line of vision.

The decision on the field was offside but Michael Oliver, the video assistant referee for the match, did not invite referee Chris Kavanagh to watch the incident again on the pitchside monitor.

Liverpool have argued a different outcome may have been reached had he been asked to do so.

The PGMOL, which is committed to greater engagement, including ongoing dialogue with clubs, has not commented on Liverpool’s complaint.