Liverpool continued their winning run in the Premier League on Sunday with a 1-0 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Their win, however, was marred by a couple of controversial decisions by the Video Assistant Referee.
Sadio Mane scored the only goal of a tense clash at Anfield as Jurgen Klopp’s men extended their unbeaten run at home in the league to 50 games.
Mane’s strike three minutes before half-time was initially ruled out for a handball by Adam Lallana in the build-up, but a VAR review overturned referee Anthony Taylor’s on-field decision.
Moments later Wolves thought they had levelled when Pedro Nieto fired low past Alisson Becker, but again the VAR review went against the visitors as the goal was ruled out for a fractional offside against Jonny.
“We feel massively hard done by, I can’t get my head around it. It is ridiculous,” said Wolves captain Connor Coady. “For me it is not working. Some people are saying it gets the right decision but we’re the players on the pitch and it doesn’t feel right to me.”
After the game, VAR became a big talking point on social media too, with ‘LiVARpool’ trending on Twitter. Many suggested that the technology has been rather kind to the Reds this season, while there were also those who shot down that theory.
Here are some Twitter reactions:
Everyone called for VAR last year as they said “Liverpool wont even finish in the top 4 if it’s introduced”. Now it has been introduced, “it’s helping them win the league”. Have you not thought that maybe we are just very good at playing football?
— iz 🌹 (@lfcisabelle) December 29, 2019
VAR OVERTURNS (NET SCORE)
— Joseph Cousins (@JCuzzy1) December 29, 2019
Brighton +6
Man United +3
Southampton +3
Palace +2
Leicester City +2
Bournemouth +1
Burnley +1
Newcastle +1
Watford +1
Liverpool 0
Man City 0
Spurs 0
Arsenal -1
Villa -1
Everton -1
Chelsea -2
Norwich -3
West Ham -3
Wolves -4
Sheff Utd -5
Alright, I’ll consider LiVARpool
— Carson (@WC_LFC_Torres) December 29, 2019
Can anyone actually point me to any VAR decisions that were incorrect that benefitted Liverpool?
Only one I can think of is Van Dijk foul against Everton not being given as a pen.....in a game we won by three goals and were also denied a pen
Before the online world ends about Liverpool getting a VAR decision, here's Mane getting one chalked off for millimetres, following on from Firmino's armpit at Aston Villa. #LIVWOL https://t.co/EriU5Fl9a4
— Chris Williams (@Chris78Williams) December 29, 2019
VAR is actually ruining Liverpool’s players and fans season when they should be being applauded for their incredible performances this season #VAROUT
— Trevor Sinclair (@trevor8sinclair) December 29, 2019
That Liverpool are going to win their first league title in 3 decades in the same season that VAR was introduced is merely coincidental. It'd be wrong to suggest otherwise... 👀
— David Scott (@arghkid) December 29, 2019
If you reversed both decision in the Liverpool v Wolves game tonight no one could argue with you and wolves would have been 1 goal in front. Someome pls help our game #VAR #shambles
— Paul McGrath (@Paulmcgrath5) December 29, 2019
Scoreline with VAR used correctly.
— Man City (@mancity2432) December 29, 2019
Liverpool 0-1 Wolves.
Literally nobody will care if Liverpool go invincible, Arsenal did it without VAR being used to help them. pic.twitter.com/m33f5rqWdb
To rule out that Wolves goal for offside but say that this Van Dijk handball in the buildup to Liverpool’s goal was “inconclusive” is an absolute disgrace. VAR doesn’t make sense. pic.twitter.com/XMhooO6s5X
— The Man Utd Way (@TheManUtdWay) December 29, 2019
Some people say Van Dijk has been Liverpool's best signing, some say it's Salah, some say it's Mane but deep down we all know it's VAR.
— Troll Football (@TrollFootball) December 29, 2019