THE Premier League has come in for even more scrutiny after failing to give an adequate explanation for Virgil van Dijk’s controversial disallowed goal against Manchester City on Sunday.
VAR confirmed the on-field decision from referee Chris Kavanagh to rule out Liverpool’s first half goal after Andy Robertson was judged to have been offside and interfering with play in front of City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
The league’s official Match Centre X account posted online to clear up the call which has been hotly debated among fans, pundits, players, and managers.
Writing on X, the league said: “The referee’s call of offside and no goal to Liverpool was checked and confirmed by VAR – with Robertson in an offside position and deemed to be making an obvious action directly in front of the goalkeeper.”
However, the site has caused a stir by putting a community note on the post to add extra context.
It is often used as a tool to stop untrue stories or false statistics being spread.
Community notes are typically seen as an embarrassing way to be exposed for a wrong post.
The community note says: “The rule being referred to is that ‘making an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball’ while offside is an offside offence.
“Just making an obvious action, as claimed here, is not sufficient on its own for an offside offense.”
X describes Community Notes as “a collaborative way to keep people better informed” and adds: “Notes aren’t chosen by majority rule. Community Notes identifies notes that are found helpful by and for people with different points of view.”
Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn 2 – all the info
TIME for round two of this generation’s family feud!
Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn go punch-for-punch once again as both rivals look to make their fathers proud.
The blockbuster rematch takes place at the 62,000-seater Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, November 15.
Eubank Jr narrowly outpointed his bitter foe after 12 brutal rounds in April to secure the bragging rights in what was certainly a Fight of the Year contender.
And the two British superstars will dance once more as Eubank Jr aims to do the double while Benn seeks revenge after suffering a first career loss.
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Reds boss Arne Slot lamented VAR’s lack of intervention after the linesman flagged midway through Van Dijk’s celebrations by the corner flag.
He said: “It’s difficult for me to give my view about it.
“I think it’s obvious and clear that the wrong decision has been made, at least in my opinion.
“Because he [Robertson] didn’t interfere at all with what the goalkeeper could do.
“Immediately after the game, someone showed me the goal, that what the same referee allowed City against Wolves last season.
“So it took the linesman 13 seconds to raise his flag to say it’s offside. So there was clearly communication.
“But, as I said, that could have influenced the game in a positive way for us, because in the first half we were so poor.
“But, yeah, a set-piece can make a difference. And now we conceded the 2-0 from a set-piece.
“That was maybe a fair reflection of the first half, by the way, us being 2-0 down. But that’s maybe not what it’s about.”
Liverpool thought they had hit back to Erling Haaland’s deserved opener for City when Van Dijk nodded in only for Chris Kavanagh and his lino to deny the equaliser.
Michael Oliver and Timothy Wood reviewed the incident at Stockley Park but saw no reason to overturn no-goal decision.
Robertson was standing in an offside position in front of Donnarumma as Van Dijk sent his header towards goal but ducked out of the way.
The result leaves Liverpool in eighth place after a fourth league defeat in five, behind Manchester United, Aston Villa, and Tottenham on goal difference.
Slot’s side are only two points off Chelsea in third and four from City in second but trail table-toppers Arsenal by six.
They are also just three points above Everton in 13th and have now been beaten more times than their Merseyside rivals after 11 games.
