Referees' chief Howard Webb has publicly defended a contentious VAR decision that disallowed a Liverpool goal during their recent 3-0 defeat to Manchester City.
Liverpool's Official Complaint
Following the Premier League match on Wednesday 12 November 2025, Liverpool contacted the Professional Game Match Officials Board (PGMOL) to formally raise concerns. The dispute centred on a disallowed equaliser from Virgil van Dijk, which was ruled out because official deemed Andy Robertson to be in an offside position.
The crucial interpretation was that Robertson was "making an obvious action directly in front of the goalkeeper", thereby interfering with play. However, Liverpool and their head coach, Arne Slot, contended that this was an "obvious and clear wrong decision", arguing that Robertson did not interfere with the action.
Webb's Defence of the VAR Protocol
In response to the criticism, Howard Webb supported the officials' judgement. He stated that it was "not unreasonable" for them to conclude that Andy Robertson's positioning impacted Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma's ability to attempt a save.
Liverpool also questioned another aspect of the VAR process: why the video official, Michael Oliver, did not instruct the on-field referee, Chris Kavanagh, to review the incident personally on the pitch-side monitor. This step is often seen as a critical part of ensuring major decisions are thoroughly checked.
Broader Implications for the Game
This incident has reignited the ongoing debate about the application of the offside rule and the consistency of VAR interventions in the Premier League. The fallout from this match highlights the persistent tension between clubs and officiating bodies over subjective interpretations of the laws of the game.
