Peter Schmeichel raged at Liverpool’s opening goal, via Dominik Szoboszlai, against Aston Villa standing after he felt that Mohamed Salah was ‘hampering’ Emiliano Martinez’s view.
The legendary goalkeeper stated that he was ‘upset’ by the call, as he added ‘no disrespect’ to referees and VAR, but they have ‘never’ been in goal so they don’t understand, as he told Premier League Productions (03/09/23 at 2:55 pm).
It was Dominik Szoboszlai who opened the scoring at Anfield for an upbeat Liverpool, with his strike, from the edge of the area, taking a deflection and then going in.
But as Szoboszlai took his shot, one camera angle captures Aston Villa’s man between the sticks having to step to his right to get a clear view of the shot because Mohamed Salah, who would get on the scoresheet in the second half as his side won 3-0, was in his way, before going towards his left to try and save the effort.
Despite protests from the Villa bench, including claims that there was a complaint made, the goal stood.
But that didn’t please ex-Villa keeper Schmeichel, who made his feelings pretty clear.
“You can see very clearly that his (Martinez’s) view is hampered,” said Schmeichel. “When you face a shot like that, as a goalkeeper, two things, you want to be in the right line to give yourself a chance and you also want to attack the ball.
“But Mo Salah is right in his line of view, and in order to see the ball, he actually has to go to the other side of where the ball ends up to see him hit the ball, so he opens up that side of the goal. I really honestly don’t understand why it’s not interfering.
“This is a clear case of the goalkeeper not being able to see the ball – it’s very clear, he is obstructed in his views, so how can referees and VAR, how can they talk about practice rather than what the wording of the law is?! (Schmeichel argued with ex-referee Dermot Gallagher who defended the goal standing).
“Dermot, can I interrupt, no disrespect to the referees. But no referee, as far as I know has ever been in goal. Let me tell you, that has a direct impact on what the goalkeeper does – how can somebody, sat in front of a TV screen, in the VAR room, say that (Salah standing in front of Martinez) it’s not enough for him to save the ball? How can they be judging that?!
“You saw the saves Pickford made right in the last minute yesterday. How do you know he is going to make that save? You don’t know that. I feel a little bit upset. It’s a practise and interpretation by people who have never been in goal.”
Another VAR controversy
For the second day running, a controversial VAR call has been made involving a player blocking the view of the goalkeeper.
Manchester City’s second goal, of their 5-1 win over Fulham on Saturday, shouldn’t have stood because Nathan Ake was blocking Bernd Leno’s view.
But to the anger of Marco Silva, and the agreement of even Erling Haaland, that goal stood to make it 2-1 at the time, before Man City cruised to three points.
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