‼️ BREAKING NEWS: ‘Doesn’t look right’: VAR told they made a serious error during Liverpool vs Fulham on Saturday. There are reports of a many substantial errors by VAR during the Liverpool vs Fulham match on Saturday, prompting discussions about the validity of the officiating. “I have my reservations about it. I’m not sure it denied an obvious goalscoring opportunity,” Dermot Gallagher said.
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher believes Andy Robertson’s red card during Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with Fulham was a mistake. The Scotland defender was sent off 17 minutes into the first half for a foul on Harry Wilson.
Robertson’s loose touch allowed Wilson to intercept the ball, and the Liverpool full-back then brought down the former Reds winger. Referee Tony Harrington initially played the advantage, which led to a shot from Fulham striker Raul Jimenez. Gallagher argued that this decision to allow play to continue made the situation more complicated.
At that point, Liverpool were already trailing after Andreas Pereira’s early goal. However, the Reds twice fought back, with Cody Gakpo leveling the score before Diogo Jota’s strike canceled out Rodrigo Muniz’s second-half goal.
The match was marked by controversial refereeing decisions, including Issa Diop and Andreas Pereira escaping red cards in the first nine minutes. Gallagher admitted Robertson’s dismissal was incorrect, stating, “I didn’t think it was a red card at the time, and I still don’t.”
Gallagher explained: “Robertson doesn’t see Wilson coming; he miscontrols the ball, and Wilson gets a touch. You have to ask, ‘Is Wilson in control of the ball?’ No. ‘Is he likely to gain control?’ Very doubtful, as a Liverpool player was in position. ‘Is he heading toward goal?’ No. There are too many variables to justify a red card.”
He further emphasized the complications caused by allowing the advantage to play out: “If the referee believed it was a red card, he should have blown the whistle immediately. By letting play continue and then calling it back after the shot, the situation became unnecessarily complex.”
Gallagher argued that a yellow card would have been a more appropriate decision. He added, “When you let play continue after an incident like that, you lose control of the situation. The referee gambled by allowing the advantage, but if you’re certain it’s a red card offense, just stop play immediately. That would have avoided the confusion.”
Ultimately, Gallagher concluded that the handling of the incident created avoidable complications, leaving players, fans, and pundits alike questioning the decision-making process.
