Carragher & Richards Weigh In on Liverpool Penalty Debate vs Leeds

Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards have discussed why Hugo Ekitike didn’t go down for a penalty during Liverpool’s 0-0 draw with Leeds United. The French forward, Arne Slot’s brightest attacking threat, troubled Leeds’ defense with his speed.

Ekitike was played through by Ibrahima Konate and, upon entering the box, clashed with Jaka Bijol. Under pressure, he struggled to control the ball. Bijol held onto him, but Ekitike remained on his feet and passed to Florian Wirtz instead of seeking a penalty. While the Leeds fans were furious, VAR did not intervene, and referee Chris Kavanagh took no action.

On Sky Sports, Carragher suggested Ekitike could have gone down for a penalty:
“Look at him just using his body. If he goes down he probably gets a penalty, but he wanted to try and score a goal.”

He added that the defender likely did enough to avoid conceding a foul. Richards agreed, noting the holding could have warranted a penalty, but Ekitike’s strength allowed him to continue:

“I think it was sustained holding, but because Ekitike is so strong, he manages it well. If he went down, it probably would have been reviewed.”

VAR generally ignores brief contact, but continuous holding is usually penalized. Kavanagh had to judge whether Bijol impeded Ekitike from contesting the ball.
Liverpool’s performance was underwhelming, ending a three-game winning streak. Ekitike looked lively, but players like Wirtz struggled, leaving the defending champions to start the year disappointingly.

Slot explained why he felt it wasn’t a penalty, echoing Carragher and Richards:
“No, it wasn’t a penalty because he stayed on his feet. Had he fallen, it probably would have been given, but often this season, fouls haven’t been called.”
He expressed frustration at his team not being treated fairly despite playing honestly:

“We’ve conceded a few soft penalties, but when our players stay on their feet, VAR rarely intervenes. Over a season, you don’t always get what you deserve, but over multiple seasons, it balances out.”
Slot also highlighted how few penalties his side has been awarded:

“I think we’ve had only one penalty this season, which is surprising for the team with the most possession. But we’re just staying true to our style—staying on our feet.”

Beyond the Bijol challenge, Liverpool struggled against a resilient Leeds side and will aim to bounce back against Fulham on Sunday, January 4.