English former professional football referee Howard Webb reveals why Alexis Mac Allister was denied a penalty Liverpool vs Man City draw match on March 10

Transcript of the conversation that Oliver, VAR (Attwell), and deputy VAR (Hopton) had on the phone:

VAR: “Coming for me. Could be a foul on the defense.”

Reference: “No. “Not for me, buddy.”

The VAR says “Checking possible penalty.”

“I believe the ball is in the middle, and Dokun just tries to play it.” Someone might get in touch.”

VAR: “So it’s clear that Doku touched the ball.” He does play the ball, and both of them come in high. There isn’t enough proof for me to call for a penalty kick. He kicks the ball.

“Are you happy that he definitely plays it?” asked AVAR’s helper.

VAR: ”

On March 10, Liverpool and Manchester City played to a 1-1 tie, with a controversial penalty kick being missed late in the game.

Howard Webb agreed with Michael Oliver’s choice not to give Liverpool a penalty in the 98th minute of their 1-1 draw with Manchester City earlier this month.

In the dying minutes of the top-of-the-table match at Anfield, Alexis Mac Allister was caught by Jeremy Doku’s studs in the box as Jurgen Klopp’s team tried to score late. This made the Reds very angry.

referee Oliver didn’t think the hit was bad enough to be punished, and later a VAR check agreed with the call made on the field. Jurgen Klopp couldn’t believe his team wasn’t given what looked like a penalty kick. He said, “There’s always an explanation.” I believe everyone in this room believes that if he blows the whistle on a penalty, it’s not a big deal. He hits him in the chest. He has touched the ball before, yes. Your leg is that high. Does that make a difference anywhere on the field? Before the foot is here, you can kick the ball, and then you’re off.”

Webb said on the most recent episode of Match Officials Mic’d Up that he thought Oliver did the right thing and that Stuart Attwell on VAR and assistant VAR Nick Hopton were right not to call for a review of the incident on the field. “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,” he said. Michael Oliver says that the balls between two players are going together. It’s not high enough to hit the ball. If Doku wants to play the ball, he lifts his foot and hits the ball.

“Certainly, we are aware that there is some contact on Mac Allister as well. Mac Allister bumps into him, and Mac Allister is also not really playing the ball.” That’s why I can see why there are different opinions.

“I think it would have been checked completely either way because we don’t want to have to re-referee games where things aren’t clear, which is what we think the VAR is for here.” The VAR doesn’t get involved. That’s what I think we should expect. Without a doubt, you want to be sure that the choice you’re making is the right one. You know, sometimes you don’t have enough knowledge at the time to make that choice.

“It was clear that Michael Oliver lost it in this case.” When the VAR looks at it, he or she doesn’t see anything special. You see something that’s pretty subjective and stays out of it. People in the game have told us that this is also a pretty subjective situation, where people have different opinions.

“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.”

Webb was asked if the fact that the decision was made in the 98th minute of the game might have had any effect on it. He said, “Yeah, I think penalty situations at any time in a game of this magnitude are obviously always important, so you’ve got to stay focused from the first minute to the end.”

It’s possible that players will try to use impact to go down near the end of the game. That doesn’t always happen, but you need to know how people might act later in the game, which is why you need that level of certainty. But yeah, you know what will happen if those big decisions are made around the penalty area and how important it is to be sure.

He touched it for sure.” Then Mac Allister comes into his space. He turns his back on Mac Allister. It’s a getting together.