Liverpool edges out Wolves in a VAR affected match

It was yet another scrappy win for Liverpool against an impressive Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Reds showed the grit needed to be the Champions. And pushed a credible Wolves challenge to continue their unbeaten run. While Nuno Esprito Santos’s men failed to stop Jurgen Klopp’s men from closing in on the Premier League title. They also made it six losses in their last six encounters with the world champions.

Liverpool main man, Sadio Mane delivers again

Jurgen Klopp’s men started off brightly with the first big chance of the match falling to Mohamed Salah. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s brilliant cross fell for the Egyptian, who could only manage to send his shot high. Salah has another opportunity to open the scoring when he was set free by a tremendous Virgil Van Dijk long ball. Though again the former Chelsea man failed to score as his shot went straight into an inform Rui Patricio’s hands.

VAR is at it again and it’s frustrating

Sadio Mane again stepped up with the goods for Liverpool as he finished off a “shouldered” assisted ball from Adam Lallana. The goal was given by the VAR after being initially denied by the on-field referee Anthony Taylor. VAR intervined again, in the 3rd minute of the extra time allotted for the first half. This time again it ruled in favour of the champions league winners. Though this time it was Wolves’s Pedro Nito who was under questions. His goal was ruled offside after Jonny was found to be in an offside position in the build up to the goal.

While VAR ruled both of the decisions against Wolves. They were far more annoyed by the second one. As Jonny was found marginally offside in the buildup to Neto’s goal. It was one of those “toe offside” calls that we’re getting used to in the English top division. The cries against VAR are now being heard from all corners. And one can’t disagree with them. While both the decisions made on the night were correct, but it’s just ridiculous for the player to take that they were offside because he had a toe millimetres away from where it was supposed to be. The question which needs to be asked here is, if the technology used does have a margin for error then why aren’t the officials sticking with the on-field calls in such minutely close incidents.

What did the mangers say

Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool manager: “It was a tough game – I expected it to be honest. If there is a team who is not fussed about playing two games in 48 hours, it is Wolves. Nuno has a sensational bunch of players there and he doesn’t make a lot of changes,

“VAR is about decision making. I would prefer if referees went to the screen because it is directly next to us and never used, I don’t know exactly why.”

Nuno Esprito Santos, Wolves manager: “They fought very hard, I think it was a very good game. In the first half Liverpool were very strong, they are a team with immense quality, and I thought we controlled but we didn’t have the ball so much,

“The referee should sustain their decisions because there is a referee miles away taking decisions of a lot of things that are happening here.”