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It took fewer than 15 minutes for controversy to arise during Liverpool's game against Manchester City at the Etihad on Sunday.
City had the first major chance of the Premier League clash when Jeremy Doku danced into the box and hit the deck after minimal contact from Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili. The referee, Chris Kavanagh, initially waved play on in Manchester.
Yet he changed his decision after the VAR, Michael Oliver, instructed him to look at his pitch-side monitor. Kavanagh then pointed to the spot after explaining his change of heart to the crowd, while the Premier League provided further detail on social media.
"After review, the referee overturned the original decision of no penalty to Manchester City," posted the Premier League March Centre account on X.
Kavanagh explained to the crowd: "After review, the goalkeeper commits a foul challenge on the attacker, the final decision is penalty."
Kavanagh's decision divided the pundits covering the game for the BBC. Danny Murphy, the former Liverpool midfielder, said to Match of the Day: "There's not enough contact from the keeper for me."
But Dion Dublin, the former Manchester United and Aston Villa striker, told BBC Radio 5 Live: "The contact is minimal, but Doku's fall isn't a false fall.
"He would not have made it without contact."
In the end, Kavanagh's decision meant little thanks to Mamardashvili's heroics.
Liverpool's back-up goalkeeper, who has been standing in for the injured Alisson in recent weeks, produced an excellent save to deny Erling Haaland from the spot.
"That is a really good save!" Dublin added. "The keeper absolutely launches himself to the left and made it look very easy.
It is a good penalty that is probably going into the side netting, but he has read it. It is probably on his water bottle!"
Haaland quickly made up for his missed penalty by finding the back of the net in the 29th minute, giving City a 1-0 lead.
There was further controversy before half-time, as Virgil van Dijk's header found the back of the net. Yet the goal was disallowed due to Andy Robertson, who didn't touch the ball but was standing in the six-yard box, being in an offside position.
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