Liverpool and Nottingham Forest played out an entertaining 1-1 draw but the Reds have been accused of some unsportsmanlike tactics during the game.
Speaking to Football Insider, former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official Keith Hackett said about Diogo Jota’s goal: “Clearly one of the dark arts currently in football is how attacking teams are positioning one of their forwards on the goalkeeper.
“You will appreciate no one owns any space on a football field.
“Given these tactics I would have thought that goalkeeping coaches might have found a way to combat and to deal with what I consider an unfair tactic.
“Looking at replays there is no way that VAR would intervene. The goalkeeper should have made a stronger play for the ball, good goal.”
It seems a bit harsh to suggest this finish was linked with ‘the dark arts’ but the comment is at least saved by the closing remarks that the goal should stand.
Cody Gakpo played a crucial role in Liverpool’s goal
Cody Gakpo’s job in our goal was to be a disruption for the ‘keeper but as the ex-referee said, nobody owns the space that he was occupying.
It would have been a travesty had the finish been ruled out and so we can be grateful to both referee Chris Kavanagh and VAR John Brooks.
However, looking at the incident in which Mo Salah was brought down in the box, it’s safe to say that it wasn’t an evening when all the right calls were made.
There’s certainly been worse decisions but it was clear that throughout the match Arne Slot was frustrated in the way it was officiated.
Whilst the game was allowed to flow, there was a real lack of punishment for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side slowing down the clock and committing some cynical fouls.
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So it’s okay if Arsenal, Brentford, Man Utd, etc do it, but it’s a big issue if Liverpool do. Hmmmmm.