Liverpool are cruising at the top of the table and those who are struggling to deal with that are stating we’ve been lucky with decisions against us.
However, this theory is about to be debunked after Howard Webb’s latest comments on one missed decision that went against the Reds earlier this month.
Speaking on Match Officials Mic’d Up, the PGMOL boss discussed James Tarkowski’s horror tackle on Alexis Mac Allister.
The 53-year-old said: “This is a red-card challenge. It’s an error by the officials not to send Tarkowski off.
“From the outset with this show, we’ve committed to showing good examples of VAR use and also where we don’t use it in the right way, and this was one of those examples.
“The referee recognises on the field that Tarkowski plays the ball and feels that the way he does so is reckless.
“The VAR then checks that on-field decision of a yellow card and puts too much focus on the fact that Tarkowski plays the ball.
“But Tarkowski makes a choice to play the ball in that way. Players have to consider their opponent’s safety, even when playing the ball.
“Tarkowski lunges into the challenge using excessive force and endangers Mac Allister’s safety. It should have been a red card.”
It’s refreshing to hear that we were correct in our assumption that this was a terrible foul that went unpunished by referee and VAR.
James Tarkowski should have been sent off at Anfield
Arne Slot’s side went on to win 1-0 and so much of this controversy was brushed under the carpet, though it’s important to see how bad this decision was.
For referee Sam Barrott to miss it was somewhat admissible but when Paul Tierney was sat on VAR, reviewed the footage and still got it wrong – is worrying.
This is why Alan Shearer told the official to ‘get a grip’ because it was such an obvious mistake.
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