Howard Webb rejects Jurgen Klopp claim; gives reason for VAR denying Liverpool-Man City penalty
PGMOL chief Howard Webb has explained why Liverpool were denied a late penalty against Manchester City as Jeremy Doku challenged Alexis Mac Allister.
Liverpool‘s game against Man City at Anfield earlier this month was arguably the biggest Premier League game of the season to date and it ended 1-1.
“Isn’t VAR there for just making the right decision?”
Man City dominated the opening half and John Stones fired the visitors in front, but Liverpool came on strong after the break and Mac Allister’s penalty earned Jurgen Klopp’s side a point.
Liverpool felt they should have been awarded a second penalty late on for Doku’s high boot on Mac Allister. A foul was not given on-field and VAR decided against asking referee Michael Oliver to review the incident.
This angered Klopp as he felt it was a “penalty for all football people on the planet”.
“Isn’t [VAR] there for just making the right decision and not thinking about how high the bar is to overturn it to find the right decision?” Klopp said post-match.
He added: “This is a penalty for all football people on the planet, it’s a penalty. If you think it’s not one then maybe you’re not a football person.”
“Mac Allister is not really playing the ball…”
Webb has now taken time to explain why Liverpool were not awarded a penalty in this case. He does not think Mac Allister was “playing the ball” and “it would have been check complete either way”.
“It’s split a lot of opinion, hasn’t it?” Webb told Mic’d Up. “And I think it’s one of those for sure, if the referee gives it on the field it would have been a ‘check complete’ by the VAR.
“And equally, having not given it, it’s also ‘check complete’. You hear Michael Oliver say the ball’s in between two players going together. The ball is too low to head, Doku lifts his foot to play the ball, and he does make contact on the ball.
“And yes, we know there’s some contact on Mac Allister as well. Mac Allister comes into him – Mac Allister is not really playing the ball, either. So, I understand why it’s split opinion.
“I think it would have been ‘check complete’ either way. Not wanting to re-referee the game in situations that are not really clear, which is what we think the VAR is for in this situation.
“The VAR stays out of it. I think that is what we would expect.”
Webb believes it was a “pretty subjective situation” and this is why VAR opts to “stay out of it”.
“Massive game,” Webb added. “Absolutely, it’s 1-1 all game. You just want certainty really, you want to know with clarity, with certainty, that you’re making the right decision.
“Clearly, Michael didn’t have it in this situation and then the VAR looks at it and doesn’t see a clear-and-obvious situation.
“You see something that’s pretty subjective and therefore stays out of it, and the feedback we’ve had from people within the game is that this is a pretty subjective situation. It’s split opinion.”
