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Liverpool are to seek an official explanation for the two controversial VAR incidents which overshadowed Saturday’s 2-2 Merseyside derby draw against Everton at Goodison Park, sources have told ESPN.
The fiery encounter has resulted in Liverpool players Virgil van Dijk and Thiago Alcantara being sent to hospital for scans amid concerns that the pair suffered knee ligament damage following challenges by Everton’s Jordan Pickford and Richarlison respectively.
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Richarlison was shown a straight red card by referee Michael Oliver for the 90th minute challenge on Thiago, but Pickford escaped punishment for the fifth minute incident with Van Dijk which saw the defender limp out of the game.
The failure of the VAR official David Coote to review Pickford’s challenge on Van Dijk has angered Liverpool, sources have told ESPN, to the extent that they will demand an explanation from the Professional Game Match Officials Board (PGMOL) — the organisation in charge of referees and VAR.
It is understood that Coote chose not to review the foul on Van Dijk for a red card for serious foul play, with the confirmed offside flag ruling out any possible penalty for Pickford’s challenge.
Liverpool are ready to question that decision, however, at the same time as seeking an explanation for the ruling out of Jordan Henderson‘s goal, two minutes into stoppage time, which would have put the Premier League champions 3-2 ahead.
Henderson’s goal was chalked off following a lengthy VAR review, which eventually judged that Sadio Mane, who crossed for Henderson, received the ball from Thiago in an offside position.
Video footage and stills of the incident gave the impression that Mane was onside when Thiago passed the ball, but the Hawk-Eye technology indicated he was marginally in front of Yerry Mina.