"It always happens" - Pundit claims Manchester City's goal against Liverpool should have been given
Former Tottenham Hotspur right-back Alan Hutton has claimed that Manchester City were right to be annoyed with VAR’s decision, implying that their goal against Liverpool was wrongfully disallowed.
Liverpool inflicted a 1-0 defeat upon Manchester City in their Premier League clash at Anfield on Sunday (October 16). Before Mohamed Salah scored the winner in the 70th minute, Phil Foden put City ahead in the 55th minute.
The VAR, however, ruled out Foden's goal because of Erling Haaland's shirt pull on Fabinho in the build-up.
Should Manchester City's goal have stood?
It was ruled out due to Haaland's challenge on Fabinho ❌ https://t.co/HtCTGBIAhe
Speaking on Football Insider, Hutton claimed that it was a very soft call from VAR, adding that City were right to be annoyed with the call. The former Aston Villa man said:
“It always comes back to the word subjective. It depends who is looking at it. For me, if you were to give a foul for that, you are giving probably 100 fouls a game because there is always tugs on shirts. There is always a little grab or a little pull here and there. It always happens.
“The thing with this one is that it leads to a goal and that is why VAR are always going to check it. He does tug on Fabinho’s shirt, if he does not do that does he get there and kick the ball away?”
Hutton added:
“These are all things that are going through VAR when they are looking at it. I understand why it is given.
“Today in football those sort of things are given with VAR, I do not think it is ideal. The manager was upset because the referee let a lot of fouls go during the game and then that one gets pulled up. It can be annoying.”
Manchester City win could propel Liverpool to mount a comeback
Last season’s Premier League runners-up Liverpool endured a lackluster start to the 2022-23 campaign, winning only two of their first eight matches before their victory against Manchester City.
Following Sunday’s win, the Reds find themselves in eighth place in the Premier League standings, sitting six points behind fourth-placed Chelsea (19 points) after nine matches.
Very few might have expected Liverpool to inflict a defeat upon Manchester City on Sunday. But by fighting tooth and nail, they proved that they were not one to be written off so easily.
The win was not only important for numerical reasons, it possibly gave the Reds the psychological push they needed.
A classic El Niño hat-trick against West Ham in 2008 🔥
#LIVWHU https://t.co/tme2NrxOzD
If they can manage to play with the same intensity in the coming games and take their chances, they should be able to go toe-to-toe with their rivals for a top-four finish.
Liverpool return to Premier League action with a clash against 13th-placed West Ham United at Anfield on Wednesday night (October 19).