Liverpool’s disallowed goal against Manchester City sparked widespread outrage after Virgil van Dijk’s header was ruled out for offside interference involving Andy Robertson.
Liverpool were left furious after Virgil van Dijk’s first-half header against Manchester City was ruled out for offside, according to GOAL reporting. The Dutchman thought he had equalised from a Mohamed Salah corner, but VAR upheld the on-field decision, judging Andy Robertson to have interfered with play despite not touching the ball.
Robertson stood just a yard from goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma inside the six-yard box and ducked as Van Dijk’s header flew into the net. The Premier League’s Match Centre later clarified that the Scotland international’s proximity constituted “an obvious action which impacted an opponent’s ability to play the ball.”
The decision divided opinion, with many fans calling it inconsistent. One X user, @TheKopWatch, wrote: “Side netting. GK is getting nowhere near it. Robertson doesn’t block his view of the ball. How on earth is that disallowed?” Others labelled it “complete robbery.”
The controversy reignited debate over Law 11’s interpretation of offside interference, as replays suggested Robertson was slightly off the goalkeeper’s line of sight. Despite Liverpool’s protests, City capitalised on the reprieve to double their lead, maintaining their unbeaten home record in a clash defined by fine margins.