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Liverpool's Premier League title challenge encountered another blow after they were comprehensively beaten by Manchester City on Sunday afternoon.
Following consecutive victories over Aston Villa and Real Madrid, the Reds travelled to the Etihad brimming with confidence. However, after a lacklustre opening, Arne Slot's team found themselves trailing when Erling Haaland nodded home.
Nevertheless, to their credit, the Reds responded positively, and they believed they had drawn level when Virgil van Dijk powered home a corner. Yet after a VAR examination, the goal was chalked off for offside, with Andy Robertson deemed to be impeding play.
City would subsequently secure all three points courtesy of strikes from Nico Gonzalez and the exceptional Jeremy Doku, though the decision to rule out Van Dijk's effort has sparked considerable debate.
Former referee and Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) chief Keith Hackett has now outlined why he believes an incorrect decision was reached.
"Well we saw Liverpool have a perfectly good goal ruled out on the basis of offside," he told Football Insider. "We know there is a degree of subjectivity in this specific law, but let's have a look at it.
"A player in an offside position at the moment the ball is played or touched by a team mate is only penalised on becoming involved in active play by interfering with play, by playing or touching a ball passed or touched by a team mate or interfering with an opponent by preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play by clearly obstructing the opponents line of vision or challenging an opponent for the ball.
"Yes he's [Robertson] in an offside position but that in itself not an offence. Did he really interfere with the goalkeeper?".
"I think the goalkeeper had a clear line of sight, he could've saved it, he didn't, the ball went in and the officials took the easy decision to give offside and rule out the goal.
"Wrong in my opinion. Yes I agree a degree of subjectivity around this law, but my opinion is I don't like good goals being ruled out."
Reflecting on the ruling following the match, Van Dijk commented: "In football the officials are deciding the key decisions and we have to deal with it on the pitch. There is no point discussing this from my point of view. The reality is that we lost 3-0 and that is a big blow.
"It doesn't matter what I say [about the goal] because anything I say will be in the media and the whole international break will be about my comment on the decision. I just focus on the fact we lost. You guys can debate if it should have stood.
"The first half was difficult and they were much more comfortable on the ball and it was difficult for our guys to put pressure on them.
"I don't think there was a lot of danger, but Doku had a good game and it was difficult for Conor [Bradley] in the one on one at times. I don't think we were much in trouble but we could have done better.
"We had to dig deep in the second half. We got more momentum in possession but out pressing wasn't good enough.
"It's about finding consistency and carrying on. Now we go to our countries, stay fit and be ready for a big run after.
"We are not going to give up whatsoever. We are in November and we are ready for a long season and a big fight."
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