Bournemouth defender Marcos Senesi avoided punishment early in the Cherries’ Premier League opener against Liverpool, much to the frustration of commentator Jamie Carragher. Senesi seemed to extend his arm after the ball rebounded off his body, blocking Hugo Ekitike from advancing toward goal.
Referee Anthony Taylor made no call at the moment, and the video assistant referee (VAR) reviewed the incident. However, those reviewing the footage decided no further action was necessary, a decision Carragher strongly disagreed with.
During Sky Sports’ broadcast, Carragher said, “We can hear the VAR team explaining that the ball hit Senesi’s leg and then his hand, something he couldn’t control. But that’s not true. Senesi knew he was in trouble and deliberately moved his arm toward the ball.
I don’t understand how VAR can justify this. I dislike seeing players sent off — it should be a last resort. But what the VAR said is inaccurate. Senesi had plenty of time and clearly threw his arm at the ball. The referee was given the wrong information.”
Liverpool manager Arne Slot also seemed upset by the decision. He showed visible frustration on the sidelines as Liverpool continued without a favorable ruling.
The Premier League Match Centre explained why Senesi was not punished, stating, “The referee’s decision to not issue a red card was reviewed and upheld by VAR, as the incident was neither a clear handball nor a denial of a clear goal-scoring chance (DOGSO), considering the distance from the goal.”
Social media users sided with Carragher’s view. One fan wrote, “Senesi’s handball was obvious; Ekitike was through on goal.” Another added, “Even if it happened near the halfway line, it should be a red card. It was a blatant handball with clear intent. At minimum, the referee’s miss was a poor call. Senesi made no effort to hide it.”
Before the season began, the Premier League reiterated that VAR interventions would be limited. “’Referee’s Call’ was introduced last season because the on-field official is best placed to make final decisions,” the league said. “VAR will only overturn decisions if there is a clear and obvious error based on the evidence available. This approach reduced average VAR delays from 64 to 39 seconds per match last season.”
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