Liverpool get final PGMOL VAR verdict after Virgil van Dijk disallowed goal vs Man City

PGMOL chief Howard Webb has given his verdict on the controversial decision to disallow Virgil van Dijk's goal for Liverpool in their Premier League clash against Man City. The Reds captain thought he had equalised in the first half at the Etihad Stadium, only for VAR to rule the goal out for offside.

Liverpool found themselves behind in the first half after Erling Haaland's opner. His header came after he saw a penalty earlier saved by Giorgi Mamardashvili.

Van Dijk thought he had equalised before half time when he powered home a header from a corner. However, celebrations were cut short when VAR intervined and deemed Andy Robertson, who was in an offside position, to be interfering with play.

City went on to rub salt in the Liverpool wounds. Goals from Nico Gonzalez and Jeremy Doku either side of half time wrapped up a 3-0 win for Pep Guardiola's side and handed another blow to Liverpool's hopes of defending their Premier League title.

The decision to rule out Van Dijk's goal has split opinion between pundits. But the head of the PGMOL, Howard Webb has now given his take on the decision.

Speaking to TNT's Referee's Mic's up, Webb told former Reds' striker Michael Owen:"For sure Michael, a huge decision in a big game.

"As the ball moves towards Robertson - three yards out from goal in the middle of the six-yard box - he makes that clear action to duck below the ball. It goes just over his head and finds the goal in the half of the six-yard box where he is.

"The officials have to make a judgement, did that clear action impact on the goalkeeper and his ability to save the ball? That's where the subjectivity comes into play.

They looked at that action so close to the goalkeeper and formed that opinion.

"I know that's not a view held by everybody but it's not unreasonable to understand why [the officials] would form that conclusion when the player is so close to the goalkeeper, the ball is coming right towards him and he has to duck to get out of the way.

"They form the conclusion that it impacts Donnarumma's ability to dive towards the ball and make the save.

"Once they've made that on-field decision, the job of the VAR is to look at that and decide was the outcome clearly and obviously wrong.

"Only Donnarumma truly knows if he was impacted by this and we have to look at the factual evidence."

Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Liverpool manager Arne Slot gave a clear view on the decision. "I think it's obvious and clear that the wrong decision has been made, at least in my opinion," he said.

"Because he [Robertson] didn't interfere at all with what the goalkeeper could do. That could have influenced the game in a positive way for us because in the first half we were so poor."