Former Premier League referee Peter Walton has disagreed with the decision to rule out Cody Gakpo's Liverpool equaliser against Aston Villa.
It's a rare moment for the ex-official to go against one of his former colleagues as he believes the Dutchman's goal should have stood as the Reds chased the game against Unai Emery's side. The incident occurred shortly before the hour mark where Trent Alexander-Arnold's cross was met by Luis Diaz, who was onside, which deflected off of Villans defender Ezri Konsa and into the path of Virgil van Dijk, who was initially offside when the ball was played.
A scramble ensued from the defender's cutback but the former PSV Eindhoven captain was on hand to slam into the back of the net. However, referee John Brooks consulted the VAR monitor after deliberation with officials at Stockley Park over the passage of play and ruled that the contact from the opposition player was not a 'deliberate act' and therefore the goal should be ruled out.
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The decision left the Liverpool players and Jurgen Klopp, who was watching on from the stands, bemused. It was another decisive decision from the technology and Premier League officials which could have a serious impact on what transpires in the remaining games of the season as the Reds chase Champions League football.
Those on the panel at the BT Sports Studios were left bemused by the decision including the official who spent nine years officiating in the English top-flight. Walton said: "No I think it's a goal actually.
"It comes from behind the defender, there is a player in an offside position, he doesn't actually head the ball so I think this is a goal. It's being checked as we speak but we'll see when those lines come up."
Chris Sutton, among the panel of former players and journalists, quipped: "Oh well if Peter thinks it's a goal, it's a goal then. He's the expert," as Walton continued: "Well, it's because the ball has came off a defender to the attacker in an offside position so the subjectivity is 'does the defender deliberately play the ball or is it a deflection?'
"And that's the referee's decision, that's why he's going over to the monitor to have a look. Peter's obviously missed something there. From the initial ball from Alexander-Arnold," he continued trying to find the discrepancy in the passage of play at Anfield. "So he knocks it down, it comes off I think McGinn and McGinn does make an attempt to clear the ball but that would be ridiculously harsh if it was given as offside.
"He's onside, yeah," Robbie Savage argued.
Brooks, who was the official at the centre of the incident which sparked Klopp's rage against Tottenham Hotspur last month, took a number of minutes to draw to the conclusion that the Liverpool goal should be ruled out.
The former referee explained why the goal was ruled out, he said: "[It's offside because] The player who played the ball, the Liverpool forward, has received the ball via an Aston Villa defender and the point is 'does that defender play the ball or has the ball hit the defender and goes to him [the attacker].'
"The referee goes over to the monitor and thought the latter that it was a deflection rather than a deliberate play. Had it been deliberate play, that pass would've played the Liverpool attacker onside but because of the deflection, that nullifies it and he's in an offside position receiving the ball, an offence has occurred.
"It's a law very much like the handball law which was amended to it easier when a player scores a goal with his hand albeit accidental or deliberate we know it's not a goal," he explained. "I'd like to see something in [the] offside [rule] of the same effect, if it hits the defender then he's not playing an attacker onside, if that comes in it's quite straight forward. But because it's 50/50, subjectivity, that's where we get this debate."
Savage, who has been outspoken in his criticism of VAR since its introduction, made a joke to Walton as to whether Liverpool would receive an apology from PGMOL chief Howard Webb after the decision.
Webb - who is another ex-referee - has been in situ as the head of the Professional Game Match Officials Board for six months has already been in dialogue with clubs to apologise for certain decisions going against them which were wrong.
The 48-year-old continued: "So Peter, just to explain, the ball goes in from Alexander-Arnold, Luis Diaz is in an onside position so when he heads it back and it hits the defender because Virgil van Dijk was in an offside position from the original pass from Alexander-Arnold it's then Van Dijk that plays the ball back across it's given."
"That's right...," said Walton. "If you're asking my opinion, if I was the match official I would've said that's a deliberate play by the Villa defender. He even flicks his leg up, it has to be a deliberate play but I'm not the referee and that's the referee for you, it's his view.
Savage added: "So will Liverpool get an apology off Howard Webb on Monday?"
Klopp's side did eventually get an equaliser through the departing Roberto Firmino but the Brazilian's strike came too little too late in the dying minutes of normal time.
Presenter Jules Breach offered her final thoughts as she sided with the frustrations of fans across the top-flight who have been on the wrong end of decisions via VAR. She argued that the subjective decision could cost the Reds Champions League qualification as they hunt down Manchester United.
The Red Devils extended the gap to fifth-placed Liverpool to three points thanks to their win at Bournemouth. She said: "Peter, just once again, it's a significant moment in a game.
"This could cost Liverpool Champions League football next season potentially.
"Obviously, the rest of the games still need to be played out but it's these big decisions why fans get so frustrated. You can even see the looks of the Liverpool players on the pitch, they almost looked perplexed by this and it's those huge decisions that are just frustrating fans."
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