VAR Missed a Clear Penalty as Man United Suffer Another Gut-Wrenching Loss at Anfield
In their latest Premier League fixture against Liverpool, Manchester United had another game to forget after VAR failed to spot a clear penalty in the game. The Red Devils had already been outplayed in the first half, trailing 2-0 behind Luis Diaz’s first half double. The situation became even more dire as they conceded early in the second half, with Mohamed Salah scoring to put the Red Devils out of contention.
The missed penalty occurred just before halftime, with Newcastle United defender Noussair Mazraoui catching Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo with his leg. Referee Anthony Taylor initially played advantage and allowed the play to continue, with Darwin Nunez shooting wide moments later. The incident was never reviewed by VAR, and it’s hard to imagine why not.
As it stands, the VAR is still a work in progress, and this missed call is just another example of the system’s shortcomings. Former Liverpool star Neil Mellor took to Twitter to express his frustration with the decision, saying that Mazraoui’s challenge on Gakpo was definitely inside the penalty area, and that VAR should have intervened to award the hosts a penalty.
Arsenal fans were left reeling on Saturday after Declan Rice was shown a second yellow card for kicking the ball away, only days after Brighton’s Joao Pedro escaped punishment for the same offense. It’s clear that the implementation of VAR is still a major issue in the Premier League.
Liverpool will look to extend their winning streak to four games when they face Nottingham Forest after the international break. For Manchester United, it’s back to the drawing board as they continue to struggle under new boss Erik ten Hag.
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