The Premier League have released a statement explaining why VAR stuck with the on-field decision to award Southampton a controversial penalty against Liverpool.
The visitors to St Mary’s had already taken the lead through Dominik Szoboszlai’s curled effort from the edge of the box, before wonderkid Tyler Dibling was brought down by Andrew Robertson inside the 18-yard box.
Referee Samuel Barrott pointed to the spot despite protests from the Liverpool contingent, with Robertson protesting that the foul took place outside the area.
However, a lengthy VAR check came to the decision that Robertson caught Dibling on the line of the penalty area, which by the law is inside the area, and a spot-kick was confirmed.
The Premier League Match Centre’s statement read: “The referee’s call of penalty for the challenge by Robertson on Dibling is checked and confirmed by VAR, who deemed there was no conclusive evidence that the contact occurred outside the penalty area.”
Adam Armstrong stepped up from 12 yards but had his effort saved by Caoimhin Kelleher, only for the rebound to fall kindly back to the striker who tapped into a virtually empty net.
Reds icon Jamie Carragher, on commentary for the match, initially felt that Robertson made contact outside of the area but conceded that VAR had little evidence to overturn the decision.
“Kelleher almost got Liverpool out of trouble again,” Carragher said as Southampton drew level. “But Armstrong shows good composure to roll the rebound in.”
The first half brought many several contentious incidents as Darwin Nunez fell to the floor inside of the Southampton box, claiming that he had been struck in the face by defender Jack Stephens.
His protests were waved away and made light of by the Saints centre-back, before Nunez could be seen in discussion with ref Barrott after the two teams emerged back after half-time.
While a foul by Adam Lallana on Ryan Gravenberch went largely unseen by the Sky Sports cameras. The former Liverpool midfielder picked up a yellow for the lunge but Manchester United icon Roy Keane felt that he was lucky not to have been given his marching orders.
“He’s not in control, he’s not even looking at the ball,” Keane explained. “They’ve looked at the character of the player, he’s not really a nasty type. Southampton have got away with one there. The more I look at it the worst it gets.”
