Liverpool won a sixth Champions League match out of six this season after Mohamed Salah scored from the penalty spot against Girona.
Steve McManaman and Rio Ferdinand were adamant that Liverpool should not have been awarded a penalty in their win over Girona. Mohamed Salah’s spot-kick turned out to be the decisive strike, after VAR intervened for a perceived foul on Luis Diaz.
A well-rested Liverpool team took to the field in Spain on Tuesday evening and were presented with a resilient challenge. As it turned out, they required a second-half penalty – dispatched by Salah – to ensure they kept up a perfect winning record in the Champions League and qualify automatically for the knock-out stages.
The penalty itself was awarded by French referee Benoit Bastien after he was prompted to go to the pitch-side monitor by his VAR and compatriot Benoit Millot. Diaz had gone down under the challenge of ex-Manchester United and Everton midfielder Donny van de Beek, with one foot standing on the Colombian’s heel to remove his boot and the opposite leg used to bring him down.
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“I thought it was no penalty – I really did. I know he sort of accidentally stands on his heel, but nobody appeals for it, the game carries on,” former Liverpool star McManaman fumed at full-time. As they do in Europe, VAR suddenly start getting involved and you know, he [Van De Beek] stands on his heel, he [Diaz] slips a bit.
“It was a fairly scruffy decision to give a penalty. I wouldn’t have been particularly happy.
“It’s great for Liverpool but, if I was on the opposite end, I’d be distraught about it.” Sitting alongside the man who left for Real Madrid was ex-Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, who then entered the discussion.
“Maybe any criticism is a bit overzealous in terms of trying to get to the ball. He didn’t even get to the ball in the end, didn’t touch the ball,” said Ferdinand.
“But, I’m like Macca, I don’t think there was any real intention – or intent to step on his ankle and take his boot off. Clumsy is the best word, maybe, he’s given the referee opportunity to make a decision or for VAR to get involved.”
McManaman followed: “That’s it – for VAR to get involved. You expect your midfielders to go to close down, but if you accidentally step on an inch of his heel on the back, it’s very, very unfortunate.
“With all respect, it’s a contact game and we see a lot more contact at corners or free-kicks that go unnoticed, so I don’t think it was a penalty regardless of the result.”
