Liverpool contact PGMOL over disallowed goal at Man City as significant concerns raised

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Liverpool have contacted PGMOL to raise significant concerns about Virgil van Dijk's disallowed goal at Manchester City on Sunday.

Liverpool have approached the refereeing body PGMOL to express significant concerns about Virgil van Dijk's disallowed goal at Manchester City on Sunday. Van Dijk had a header from a Mohamed Salah corner ruled out when VAR Michael Oliver decided Andy Robertson was in an offside position in front of City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

The goal would have made the score 1-1 just before half-time in the Premier League clash between the previous two champions. The Reds subsequently lost 3-0, falling to eighth in the table, eight points behind runaway leaders Arsenal.

Per the Liverpool Echo., is understood that Liverpool do not agree with the subjective reasoning behind the decision and dismiss suggestions that Robertson, who ducked under the header, obstructed the goalkeeper's view as he was clearly not in Donnarumma's line of sight.

In Liverpool's view, law 11 - which pertains to offside - is criteria-based, and the club is adamant that none of those criteria were met and the goal should have been allowed.

The law stipulates that a player in an offside position can only become actively involved in play by: playing or touching a ball passed or touched by a team-mate; preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent's line of vision; challenging an opponent for the ball or clearly attempting to play a ball which is close when this action impacts on an opponent; or by making an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball.

Liverpool have meticulously analysed all available footage from various angles and are convinced the goal should have been allowed.

It's understood by the ECHO that they have now reached out to PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Board) chief Howard Webb to voice their concerns over the decision and the process leading up to it.

Liverpool acknowledge that such decisions are seldom straightforward, but they have questioned how the conclusion was reached given the checks and balances that are integral to the VAR process and are reinforced by all available angles and audio.

This isn't the first time Liverpool have found themselves at the centre of a contentious VAR decision. In September 2023, the PGMOL confessed to a "significant human error" when a goal from Luis Diaz was overlooked by referee Simon Hooper despite being awarded by VAR following a check for offside.

The Reds ultimately lost 3-0 against a dominant City. Goals from Erling Haaland, Nico Gonzalez and Jeremey Doku were enough to see Pep Guardiola secure a big win in his 1,000th senior game as a manager.

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