Howard Webb explains Liverpool vs Man City Mac Allister penalty decision as VAR audio released

The Reds were left frustrated in the dying embers of the top-of-the-table clash at Anfield when Alexis Mac Allister was caught by the studs of Jeremy Doku inside the box as Jurgen Klopp’s side pushed for a late winner.

Referee Oliver deemed the challenge not to be worthy of punishment and a subsequent VAR check agreed with the on-field call made. Jurgen Klopp could not believe his side were denied what appeared to be a certain spot-kick and said: “There’s always an explanation. I think everyone in this room thinks if he whistles a penalty, it is not a scandal. He hits him on the chest. Yes, he touches the ball before. Does that make any difference on any position of the pitch if your leg is that high? You can kick the ball before, after that the foot is here and you go off.”

Of the opinion Oliver was spot on in his actions and that Stuart Attwell on VAR and assistant VAR Nick Hopton were correct not to recommend a pitchside review of the incident, Webb said on the latest edition of Match Officials Mic’d Up: “If the referee gives it on the field, it would have been a check complete by the VAR and equally, having not given it, it’s also check complete. You hear Michael Oliver say the balls in between two players going together. The ball is too low to head. Doku, lifts his foot to play the ball, and he does make contact on the ball.

“And yes, we know there’s some contact on Mac Allister as well, Mac Allister comes into him, Mac Allister is not really playing the ball either. So, I understand why it’s split opinion.

“I think it would have been checked complete either way, not wanting to to re-referee the gaming situations that are not really clear which is what we think the VAR is is for in this situation. The VAR stays out of it. I think that is what we would we would expect. You want to to know with clarity, with certainty that you’re making the right decision. You know, you don’t always have sufficient information in the moment to make that decision.

“Clearly, Michael [Oliver] didn’t have it in this situation. And then the VAR looks at it and doesn’t see a clear and obvious situation. You see something that’s pretty subjective and therefore stays out of it, and the feedback we’ve had from people within the game is that this is a pretty subjective situation, it’s split opinion.

“So on that basis, the VAR, you know, working to that high threshold kind of followed the kind of the right course in not getting involved.”

On whether the decision being in the 98th minute of the match had any potential impact on the call made, Webb added: “Yeah, I think penalty situations at any moment in a game of this magnitude are obviously always important, so you’ve got to stay focused first minute right through to the end.

“Towards the end of the game, maybe players in some situations will look to use contact to go down. Sometimes that’s not what happens in this case, but you need to be aware of of the way that players might behave in the later stages of the game, hence the reason that you need that level of of certainty. But yeah, you’re just aware of the consequence of those big decisions around the penalty area and the need for for certainty.”

Transcript of audio discussion between Oliver, VAR (Attwell) and assistant VAR (Hopton):

VAR: “Headed for me. Possible foul on defender.”

Ref: “No. Not for me, mate.”

I don’t buy Liverpool theory – Man Utd can’t be allowed to get away with it again
VAR: “Checking possible penalty.”

Ref: “I think the ball is in the middle and he [Doku] just tries to play the ball. There might be some contact.”

VAR: “So there’s clear contact on the ball by Doku. Yeah, so he plays the ball, they both come in high. I don’t think there is enough evidence for a penalty kick. He plays the ball

AVAR (assistant VAR): “Are you happy he definitely plays it?”