A controversial moment in the 63rd minute of Sunday’s Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester United has sparked significant online debate.
If you watched the thrilling 2-2 draw at Anfield, you would have seen Liverpool awarded a penalty in the second half after Matthijs de Ligt was judged to have handled the ball inside the box.
As Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross was flicked on by Alexis Mac Allister, De Ligt’s outstretched arm made contact with the ball, leading to strong protests from Liverpool players. Initially, referee Michael Oliver decided against awarding a penalty, but after a quick VAR review, he changed his decision.
The Premier League later explained the ruling on social media, stating: “VAR recommended an on-field review for a potential handball by De Ligt, as his arm was raised unnaturally. After the review, the referee reversed his initial decision not to award a penalty.”
Mohamed Salah successfully converted the penalty to give Liverpool a 2-1 lead, but some United fans were upset by a previous incident involving Ryan Gravenberch of Liverpool, who seemed to handle the ball during a cross.
Interestingly, the broadcast did not show any replays of this incident, despite strong appeals from several players.
On social media, fans voiced their frustration. One wrote: “If the ref is giving a penalty for De Ligt’s handball, he should do the same for Gravenberch’s. I can’t believe there were no replays.”
Another commented: “Sky didn’t even show us the replay… it’s a disgrace. I have no idea if it’s a handball or not, but hiding these things from the public is a joke.”
A third fan said: “This is why I get frustrated with the handball rule. No one even reacted to this. Consistency is what drives me crazy.”
A fourth posted: “Where’s the consistency? @FA_PGMOL,” while a fifth added, “Why didn’t they check that?”
What are your thoughts on the incident? Let us know in the comments.
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