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Every word of Dermot Gallagher’s explanation after confusion over Liverpool and Cody Gakpo VAR decisions
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has supported the decision to disallow Cody Gakpo’s goal versus Aston Villa, though believes Tyrone Mings should have seen red for his reckless challenge on the Liverpool forward.
The Reds played out a 1-1 draw with Villa on Saturday afternoon, though the afternoon could well had ended differently had decisions gone in the favour of Jurgen Klopp’s side at Anfield.
A major talking point proved to be Gakpo’s effort being ruled out in the 55th minute due to Virgil van Dijk being deemed offside in the build-up to the goal. Many supporters have argued Villa defender Ezri Konsa made a genuine attempt to play the ball before it reached Van Dijk, ensuring Liverpool’s No.4 was not eligible to be offside.
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VAR determined Konsa’s touch was not deliberate, therefore making Van Dijk active in the situation and consequently denied Liverpool an equaliser at the start of the second half. Asked to provide his assessment of the incident on Sky Sports News, Gallagher said: “I think this is a very tough law to interpret. It’s about whether the player makes a genuine attempt to play the ball: does he block the ball or does it strike him. You look at this and he [VAR] can’t decide, so has to send the referee to the screen as it has to be his decision.
“When Diaz plays the ball, Van Dijk is in front of him in an offside position and only becomes active when it strikes Konsa. A block is a block. A genuine attempt to play the ball is to bring the ball under control or clear it out for a corner. The referee is going to the screen and is second-guessing the defender. There is no need for lines, we can all see Virgil van Dijk is in an offside position.
“Diaz heads the ball and Van Dijk is still not committing an offence but, when the ball comes off Konsa, he is in an offside position and becomes active. The debate then is has Konsa deliberately played that ball? Has he gone to play it out for a corner or clear it up field? Well, no. Has he gone to bring it under control? If he has, it’s not a very good attempt.”
Pushed for a clear answer as to whether or not he believed the officials made the correct call, the 66-year-old stressed the laws of the game left those in charge of the match in a difficult position.
“In law, no,” he stated on if the goal should have counted. “The officials have got it absolutely correct, and that’s where i feel for everybody because I see both sides. With how it is written, the referees are in a pickle with it because they can’t do anything other than that. Konsa has to deliberately play that ball and the referee can’t be certain so has to err on the side of safety.
“The law, as it’s written, doesn’t help the officials. It is stacked in favour of disallowing that goal. If I was that player [Gakpo], I would probably be as upset, but how the law is written does not help the referee.”
Weighing in on the other contentious decision of the day, Gallagher agreed Mings should have been dismissed for his high tackle on Gakpo. He said: “I thought it was a red card, I can’t explain any more. If I go to overhead kick and come in and catch you, that’s reckless as I don’t know you’re there. When you’re face-to-face with someone and you lead with your studs, and they’re’ that high, you are very lucky to still be on the field.”
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