Ex-referee slams Liverpool penalty decision as ‘garbage’
A former Premier League referee has criticised the decision not to award Crystal Palace a penalty in their recent match against Liverpool, labelling it as “pure garbage”. The controversy arose when Virgil van Dijk appeared to pull back Marc Guehi in the box, preventing him from challenging for the ball.
Despite appeals from the Crystal Palace players, the referee, Simon Hooper, waved away the penalty claims, and the incident was not reviewed by the video assistant referee (VAR). This decision ultimately allowed Liverpool to secure a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace.
Keith Hackett, a former top-flight referee, expressed his disbelief at the referee and VAR officials’ failure to award the penalty. In a column for The Telegraph, he stated that it was a clear and obvious foul by Van Dijk, and the VAR’s decision not to intervene was “frankly pathetic”.
Hackett emphasised that VAR was implemented to correct mistakes and not to ignore blatant fouls like the one committed by Van Dijk. He criticised the Premier League’s justification for not awarding the penalty, describing it as “pure garbage” and highlighting the impact the foul had on the play.
The controversial incident overshadowed a relatively uneventful match, with Diogo Jota’s goal securing the win for Liverpool. Crystal Palace, under manager Oliver Glasner, continued to struggle this season, with only three points from their first seven games.
Glasner expressed his frustration at the decision, questioning why VAR did not intervene to award his team a penalty. He highlighted the impact of the foul on Guehi’s ability to challenge for the ball, stressing his disappointment with the VAR’s explanation for not awarding the penalty.
The contentious decision has sparked debate and raised questions about the effectiveness of VAR in addressing on-pitch incidents. As the Premier League continues, fans and experts alike will be keeping a close eye on how such decisions shape the outcomes of matches.