Pundits criticise forensic use of VAR after Liverpool draw
Former Liverpool players Peter Crouch and Joe Cole slammed VAR and called for change in the way the technology is being used, after the Reds were held to a 1-1 English Premier League draw by Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.
Liverpool were minutes away from sealing three points at the Amex Stadium after Diogo Jota's 60th-minute strike, when referee Stuart Attwell was sent to the pitchside monitor to check an unnoticed incident.
Attwell ruled that Andy Robertson had caught striker Danny Welbeck as the left-back cleared and he awarded a stoppage-time spot-kick, which Pascal Gross converted.
"I am not a fan of it at all," said BT Sport pundit Crouch.
"In the speed of the game, I don't think Brighton would have had any complaints at all.
DON'T SLOW IT DOWN
"But when you slow it down and look at it forensically, it is a penalty. Welbeck gets there first and there is contact. But without the replay, we would have just played on... 10 years ago, it happens and we move on."
Fellow pundit Cole agreed, saying: "With offside, it is black and white. But for situations like that, I didn't even see Welbs calling for it, but it is a penalty."
Even Brighton boss Graham Potter admitted "it wasn't the most stonewall penalty", adding: "Sometimes you get them, sometimes you don't."
Liverpool have been embroiled in VAR controversies lately, including winning a similarly soft penalty in the 2-1 win over West Ham United on Oct 31 after Mohamed Salah made the most of a clumsy challenge by Arthur Masuaku. - REUTERS
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