Paul Merson and Jeff Stelling weren’t too impressed on Soccer Saturday on Sky Sports (10/04/21 at 3:50 pm) after Roberto Firmino had a goal chalked off during Liverpool’s 2-1 win against Aston Villa.
With Villa leading the game 1-0, at the time, Trent Alexander-Arnold’s ball into the heart of their defence put Diogo Jota in a threatening positioning, and after some pin-balling in the penalty area, it was Roberto Firmino who thought he had scored the equalising goal.
But VAR judged that Liverpool’s summer signing was offside and Matty Cash, who failed to deal with the ball over the top, didn’t get a touch on the ball.
As VAR was checking the decision, and then eventually giving it against Liverpool’s favour, both Merson and Stelling in the Sky studios weren’t impressed with what they are seeing.
“I think Cash has touched it,” said Merson. “They are having a look again. If he hasn’t touched it then he’s going to be offside. If he has then he’s going to be onside.
“I mean how can you tell that? It has got to be a touch (from Cash), hasn’t it? It is going to be a hard one. Here are the lines. He is onside. That means he hasn’t touched it. I am going to say it’s a goal.
Stelling added: “I am going to say it’s a goal as well. But we will probably both be wrong with that.”
When Merson then found out that the goal was given offside this is how he reacted: “Oh, it’s offside. Oh my God. Seriously! (Takes his glasses off and chucks them).”
Stelling added: “What?! How is he offside. Maybe because of the lean of his body? Oh, let’s not bother. By the way, all Liverpool fans agree with me on VAR. I tell you that.”
That’s the second time in two seasons Firmino has had a goal ruled out by a controversial offside goal against Aston Villa.
Last season, it was his armpit that seemingly ruled out a goal for him, but Liverpool mounting a late comeback at Villa Park on that day perhaps papered over the cracks of the decision.
And the same might happen for Saturday’s clash after Trent Alexander-Arnold’s brilliant late winner.
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