Premier League clarify controversial choice as Liverpool edge nearer to title glory
Liverpool were denied a second-half penalty against West Ham at Anfield on Sunday after VAR chose to back referee Andy Madley’s decision not to award a spot-kick
Liverpool were left fuming after being denied a penalty against West Ham United at Anfield on Sunday, with VAR backing referee Andy Madley’s decision not to penalise James Ward-Prowse for handball.
The Reds were leading thanks to a Luis Diaz strike when they cried out for a spot-kick as Ward-Prowse appeared to handle the ball in the box. Despite the Kop End uproar, Madley wasn’t having any of it and waved off the penalty claims.
Even after a VAR check, the verdict was to stick with the no-penalty call. The Premier League’s official Match Centre later took to social media to explain the decision, labelling Ward-Prowse’s handball as “accidental”.
They posted: “The referee’s call of no penalty for a potential handball was checked and confirmed by VAR – with Ward-Prowse’s action deemed to be accidental and not a handball offence.”
Diaz had earlier put Liverpool ahead, turning in a Salah assist after 18 minutes. But an Andy Robertson own goal threatened to spoil the party until Virgil van Dijk’s late header snatched back the win, reports the Mirror.
“Nobody was leaving Anfield early and everybody is joining in the celebrations,” exclaimed Paul Robinson, the former Spurs and Blackburn shot-stopper, while providing colour commentary on BBC Radio Five Live.
“What a moment for Liverpool. What a key moment in their season. Van Dijk doesn’t have to do a lot but he gets himself free and heads it low into the bottom corner. The roof has come off Anfield!”
Arsenal slipped up on Saturday evening, as Brentford took more points off the Gunners thanks to a second-half equaliser.
And after the full-time whistle, Arteta admitted the title could be gone. “I don’t know, the atmosphere was different to Tuesday, that’s for sure.
“I don’t know if it was playing in the back [minds] of the crowd, for us as professionals we know the importance of that.
“Today what we wanted to do was increase the probability of us really challenging for what we are looking for in the Premier League. With that result, it’s more unlikely to happen.”
