David Maddock let rip over the decision which saw Liverpool have a legitimate goal disallowed against Burnley at Turf Moor this evening.
Cody Gakpo thought he’d doubled the Reds’ lead just before the half-hour mark, only for it to be ruled out as Darwin Nunez was adjudged to have fouled Charlie Taylor in the build-up, despite the Clarets defender not calling for any semblance of a free kick.
The journalist couldn’t believe why it was chalked off, and he vented on X: “That’s the second VAR non decision that has gone against Liverpool in three days that is not just baffling, but ludicrous.
“One is unfortunate, but two, well that’s suspicious. Especially given the VAR official against Arsenal, and the ref here. It stinks.”
If the decision to disallow Gakpo’s goal was bad, the process which saw the same fate befall Harvey Elliott after half-time was utterly despicable, with VAR not showing Paul Tierney the clear push on Mo Salah to shove him offside.
Thankfully it hasn’t cost the Reds in the end, with Diogo Jota’s late goal making it 2-0 long after that should’ve been the case.
Nonetheless, the final result shouldn’t detract from another embarrassing night for Premier League referees, with public confidence in the officials at an all-time low after a season dogged by inexplicable decisions.
Maddock has echoed the thoughts of millions of Liverpool fans by labelling the VAR calls as ‘ludicrous’ and even daring – not without justification – to enter the territory of ‘suspicious’.
Don’t even bother apologising, PGMOL. If you want to make it right, have a word with your referees and make sure they can actually do their jobs properly.
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