The Premier League has released audio recordings from the contentious ruling to chalk off Virgil van Dijk’s header during Liverpool’s 3-0 loss to Manchester City. The strike would have drawn the match level at the Etihad Stadium, but officials ruled that Andy Robertson had impeded Gianluigi Donnarumma whilst standing in an offside position.
Van Dijk brilliantly nodded home from a cleverly-crafted corner with Robertson ducking beneath the ball before it found the bottom corner. Thirteen seconds after the ball crossed the line, the assistant referee’s flag went up and the goal was ruled out. Officials determined that the Scotland defender made an “obvious movement directly” in front of the Italian goalkeeper following VAR’s intervention.
The Liverpool skipper slammed the incident and the club lodged a formal complaint with PGMOL, voicing serious reservations about the reasoning behind the disallowed strike.
On Tuesday, PGMOL chief refereeing officer Howard Webb stood by the on-field decision which was reviewed and confirmed by VAR officials Michael Oliver and Tim Wood.
During the Match Officials Mic’d Up programme featuring former Liverpool forward Michael Owen, the goal footage was presented alongside audio exchanges between the linesman, referee Chris Kavanagh and the VAR team at Stockley Park. “For sure Michael, a massive decision in a big match,” Webb declared.
“As the ball moves towards Robertson – three yards out from goal in the middle of the six-yard box – he makes that clear action to duck below the ball. It goes just over his head and finds the goal in the half of the six-yard box where he is.
“The officials have to make a judgement, did that clear action impact on the goalkeeper and his ability to save the ball? That’s where the subjectivity comes into play.
“They looked at that action so close to the goalkeeper and formed that opinion.
“I know that’s not a view held by everybody but it’s not unreasonable to understand why [the officials] would form that conclusion when the player is so close to the goalkeeper, the ball is coming right towards him and he has to duck to get out of the way.
“They form the conclusion that it impacts Donnarumma’s ability to dive towards the ball and make the save.
“Once they’ve made that on-field decision, the job of the VAR is to look at that and decide was the outcome clearly and obviously wrong.
“Only Donnarumma truly knows if he was impacted by this and we have to look at the factual evidence.”
On Tuesday, the audio footage was released by the Premier League; the full transcript is below.
Assistant referee: “Robertson’s in line of vision, right in front of the keeper. He’s ducked under the ball. He’s very, very close to him. I think he’s line of vision. I think he’s (Donnarumma) been impacted, mate.”
Referee (Chris Kavanagh): “Ok so offside then.”
Assistant referee: “I think offside.”
Referee: “On-field decision is offside.”
VAR (Michael Oliver): “Checking the on-field decision of offside against Andy Robertson. Delay, delay… So you’ve got clear offside position.”
AVAR (Tim Wood): “I agree with the on-field decision. I think it’s offside. It’s a clear, obvious action which clearly impacts on the goalkeeper.”
VAR: “Chris, it’s Michael. Confirming the on-field decision of offside against Andy Robertson. He is in an offside position, very close to the goalkeeper and makes an obvious movement directly in front of him. Check complete, offside.”