Referees’ chief Howard Webb has said the video assistant referee was right not to interfere as Liverpool were not given a late penalty in their recent 1-1 draw with Manchester City.
City winger Jeremy Doku caught Alexis Mac Allister with a high boot in the area in the final seconds of the match.
But on-field referee Michael Oliver did not award the Reds a spot-kick, and VAR Stuart Attwell agreed.
“It’s split a lot of opinion, hasn’t it?” said Webb.
“It’s one of those, for sure – if the referee gives it on the field, it would have been a ‘check complete’ by the VAR.
“Equally, having not given it, it’s also ‘check complete’. You hear Michael Oliver say the ball’s in between two players going together.
“The ball is too low to head. Doku lifts his foot to play the ball, and he does make contact on the ball.
“And yes, we know there’s some contact on Mac Allister as well. Mac Allister comes into him. Mac Allister is not really playing the ball either. So, I understand why it’s split opinion.”
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and Mac Allister both felt the challenge should have resulted in a penalty for their side.
“The VAR stays out of it. I think that is what we would we would expect,” added Webb on Match Officials Mic’d Up, a Premier League Productions programme which analyses VAR decisions from previous games.
