Premier League Head Injury Protocols Clarified After Arne Slot’s Outrage Over Bryan Mbeumo’s Goal

The Premier League’s headline fixture of the weekend takes place on Sunday, as Liverpool welcome Manchester United to Anfield.

This encounter remains one of the most iconic matchups in English football, pitting the country’s two most successful and fierce rivals against each other.

The latest chapter of this rivalry began in dramatic fashion when Bryan Mbeumo fired Manchester United into a stunning lead inside the opening minute. The Cameroonian forward latched onto a pass from Amad Diallo and slotted past Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili to silence the Anfield crowd almost immediately.

However, the story of the early goal was far from straightforward. In the buildup, Mbeumo had gone up for a header alongside Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister and Virgil van Dijk. Mac Allister went down clutching his head, but play continued, allowing United to break forward and score.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot and several players were visibly furious, demanding to know why referee Michael Oliver hadn’t stopped play for the apparent head injury. Mac Allister needed lengthy treatment before returning with protective headgear for the remainder of the first half. Despite Liverpool’s protests, the goal stood — sparking outrage among home supporters.

According to Premier League guidelines, referees are expected to halt play for suspected head injuries, though there is no strict rule requiring them to do so. The league’s official policy states that once a game is stopped for a head injury, medical staff must enter immediately, and the affected player must leave the pitch for at least 30 seconds after play resumes.

However, the rules don’t explicitly compel referees to stop play, even though it is generally accepted practice. IFAB, which governs the laws of the game, clarifies that a referee should only stop play if a player appears to be seriously injured.

VAR was also powerless to intervene, as there was no foul involved — the contact causing Mac Allister’s injury actually came from his own teammate, Virgil van Dijk — leaving the controversial goal to stand.