Premier League referees’ chief Howard Webb has defended the decision to disallow Virgil van Dijk’s goal against Manchester City, calling it a “reasonable judgment” made by the match officials.
Offside Call Sparks Debate
In the 38th minute, Van Dijk appeared to equalize for Liverpool, but the referee Chris Kavanagh and assistant Stuart Burt ruled the goal out. They determined that Andrew Robertson, positioned offside, had interfered with play by ducking under the ball and potentially obstructing goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
VAR official Michael Oliver reviewed the incident and confirmed the on-field decision, leaving Liverpool frustrated as City went on to win 3-0.
Liverpool later contacted the Professional Game Match Officials Board (PGMOL), arguing the criteria for interference weren’t met and the goal should have stood.
“Interfering with an opponent where the offside player doesn’t play the ball is one of the most subjective calls we face,” Webb explained. “It’s no surprise opinions differ, but the officials’ decision wasn’t unreasonable.”
‘Not Clearly and Obviously Wrong’
Webb elaborated on the Match Officials Mic’d Up show, breaking down the reasoning.
“When Van Dijk heads the ball, Robertson is three yards from goal and makes a clear action to duck under it,” Webb said. “The officials judged that movement to have impacted Donnarumma’s ability to react. It’s subjective, but understandable.”
He further emphasized that the VAR’s role was not to re-referee the match but to determine if the on-field decision was “clearly and obviously wrong.” In this case, Webb said, that threshold was not met.
“The VAR saw Robertson’s position and action so close to the goalkeeper and deemed the decision not clearly wrong, so they stayed out of it,” he explained.
Comparisons to Previous Incidents
Liverpool boss Arne Slot had compared the situation to a Manchester City goal against Wolves last season, where Bernardo Silva was in an offside position but the goal stood after VAR review.
Webb, however, rejected the comparison.
“That case was different,” he clarified. “The ball went directly over goalkeeper José Sá’s head and not over Bernardo Silva’s. Silva moved away from the ball’s path, unlike Robertson who ducked beneath it. That small detail makes a big difference.”
According to Webb, while such calls will always invite debate, the officials acted “within reason and by the law,” reaffirming support for their on-field judgment.
Also Read: Kerr ‘Relishing Every Moment’ After First Chelsea Start in 692 Days
