5 VAR calls from Liverpool 1-1 Man City - were they right or wrong?

  • Liverpool drew 1-1 with Man City at Anfield on Sunday
  • Game saw several contentious refereeing decisions
  • Jeremy Doku's high boot on Alexis Mac Allister in final minute notably went unpunished
Liverpool were denied a last-gasp penalty
Liverpool were denied a last-gasp penalty / Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/GettyImages
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Be it with Liverpool and Manchester City or Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, Jurgen Klopp's matches with Pep Guardiola always deliver the goods.

This Sunday's encounter - their last in the Premier League - was no different. City went a goal up at Anfield before having to weather a storm and hold out for a point after Liverpool equalised from the penalty spot.

Though the contest was an enthralling one, it wasn't without a fair share of controversy and calls for VAR to get involved.

Here's a run-through of all the contentious decisions from Sunday's match and whether they were correct.


John Stones' goal

John Stones
Stones opened the scoring / Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/GettyImages
  • What happened? John Stones scored from a Kevin De Bruyne corner, Liverpool fans unhappy about a block from Nathan Ake on Alexis Mac Allister
  • Why did VAR not intervene? No foul
  • Was it the correct decision? Yes

City broke the deadlock thanks to a well-worked corner routine, with John Stones turning in Kevin De Bruyne's delivery at the near post.

The space for Stones to pop into was created by Nathan Ake blocking off Alexis Mac Allister, which made Liverpool fans remember their disallowed goal from the Carabao Cup final where Virgil van Dijk's initial opener was ruled out. However, this was disallowed as Wataru Endo was offside when setting a similar screen, whereas it is impossible to be offside from a corner.


Ederson hauls down Darwin Nunez

FBL-ENG-PR-LIVERPOOL-MAN CITY
Down went Nunez / PAUL ELLIS/GettyImages
  • What happened? Ederson hacked down Darwin Nunez while trying to clear a pass back from Nathan Ake
  • Why did VAR not intervene? Challenge was deemed a foul on-pitch
  • Was it the correct decision? Yes

No need to look too much into this one. Ederson clattered into Darwin Nunez so hard the goalkeeper himself had to be withdrawn with injury soon after.


Kyle Walker's high challenge on Mohamed Salah

Mohamed Salah, Kyle Walker
Salah was not happy with Walker / Michael Regan/GettyImages
  • What happened? Kyle Walker's follow through on a sliding tackle caught Mohamed Salah
  • Why did VAR not intervene? Challenge not deemed worthy of a red card
  • Was it the correct decision? Yes

Anfield was irate when Kyle Walker's thunderous lunge clipped Mohamed Salah's ankle.

The lunge was a little high, but so was Salah's boot at the point of contact and so no further action was taken.


Mohamed Salah's fall under contact from Nathan Ake

Mohamed Salah
Salah felt aggrieved again / Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/GettyImages
  • What happened? Mohamed Salah fell over in the 18-yard box when trying to turn away from a challenge by Nathan Ake
  • Why did VAR not intervene? Challenge not deemed worthy of a foul or clear-and-obvious error
  • Was it the correct decision? Yes

VAR did look at Salah turning away from Ake, but only very briefly. The challenge was by no means strong enough to warrant Liverpool winning a penalty.


Jeremy Doku's high boot on Alexis Mac Allister

TOPSHOT-FBL-ENG-PR-LIVERPOOL-MAN CITY
'Just stop it...there' / PAUL ELLIS/GettyImages
  • What happened? Jeremy Doku's boot caught Alexis Mac Allister in the chest
  • Why did VAR not intervene? Challenge not deemed worthy of a pitch-side review
  • Was it the correct decision? Yes

Right, the one you've all been waiting for.

Liverpool were understandably furious when this high boot from Jeremy Doku on Mac Allister went unpunished. On-field referee Michael Oliver decided against calling a penalty, though those in the VAR room took a lengthy look back at it.

While Doku's boot was high, he does win the ball first. His foot also brushes Mac Allister and is not planted directly into his body, while the Belgian's eyes were fixated on the ball at all times. This was, ultimately, why Oliver was not sent to the monitor.

In the grander scheme of the season, it may have also been harsh to award a penalty - an almost certain chance of scoring - against City for what was by definition a tackle.

It is in the grey area of football law, still. If Oliver had pointed to the spot himself, he might have been sent for a review but could well have stuck by his initial decision. It's just not a clear-cut call either way and not one for the internet to rip apart.


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