The Premier League’s Key Match Incidents (KMI) panel are reported to have determined that Virgil van Dijk’s disallowed goal against Manchester City should have stood, but simultaneously ruled that VAR was right not to overrule the offside call.
Van Dijk thought he had tied the score up at 1–1 during last week’s meeting with City as he sent a first-half header soaring beyond Gianluigi Donnarumma, but the offside flag was soon raised and VAR officials determined that Reds left back Andy Robertson, who was undeniably stood in an offside position, was obstructing the vision of the City stopper.
After slumping to a miserable 3–0 defeat, Liverpool complained to the Premier League over the decision, highlighting the fact that Robertson was stood to the side of Donnarumma, rather than directly in his eye line. However, referee chief Howard Webb defended the decision to disallow the goal.
As part of their weekly review of refereeing decisions, the KMI panel took a look at Van Dijk’s disallowed header and report it was decided that it was a mistake from the officials to rule out the goal.
The panel, made up of three former players or coaches, one person from the Premier League and one from the PGMOL, ultimately deemed that Robertson, while in an offside position, did not have a sufficient impact on Donnarumma to justify the offside call.
