Former referee gives verdict on Man City vs Liverpool FC controversial VAR decisions

Former referee Dermot Gallagher has shared his thoughts on a series of controversial refereeing decisions during Manchester City's 1-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.

Pep Guardiola's side lost their first Premier League match of the season thanks to a 76th minute breakaway Mohamed Salah goal. Ederson had spectacularly denied the Egyptian during when one-on-one earlier in the game, but this time there was nothing City's goalkeeper could do as the Liverpool forward calmly slotted the ball home.

The game burst into life during the second-half and was somewhat overshadowed by a series of decisions from both Anthony Taylor and VAR that impacted the final outcome. Phil Foden was denied a seventh league goal of the season after Erling Haaland was judged to have fouled Fabinho in the build-up, despite Taylor allowing the goal to initially stand.

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Gallagher has now had his say on the incident, as well as the rest of the key decisions from the game.

Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: He’d [Jurgen Klopp] would be happy with this decision. I think they’ve seen a foul on Fabinho in the build-up, I also think it’s a foul on the goalkeeper. If you look, the goalkeeper’s got hand on the ball, there’s the foul from Haaland in the build-up, as it went on I think the goalkeeper Alisson was fouled as well. It’s very hard when you watch that not to be convinced it’s a foul.

"It’s not more scrutiny, it’s just a fact a goal was scored, with the Salah one that lead to the red card, I think the assistant should flag, it’s not given. Because it doesn’t lead to a goal, it doesn’t lead to a penalty, because it doesn’t lead to the red card on the pitch it