Credit: Imago / Prime Video Sport

Harri Burton

Wed 15 April 2026 14:30, UK

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Alexis Mac Allister should never have won a penalty during Liverpool‘s Champions League defeat to PSG at Anfield.

That is according to former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee, Keith Hackett, who exclusively told Football Insider that referee Maurizio Mariani was deceived into pointing to the penalty spot on Tuesday, 14 April.

In the 64th minute, with the Reds searching for a route back into the game, Arne Slot’s No.10 threw himself to the floor under pressure from Willian Pacho, earning his side a spot-kick.

However, with the decision finally overturned following a pitch-side VAR check, Liverpool went on to lose 2-0 to PSG, but Mac Allister was allowed to remain on the pitch despite a dive.

Alexis Mac Allister accused of diving vs PSG

Mac Allister was already on a yellow card when falling over in the penalty area, and given Hackett’s opinion on the footage, he might have been fortunate to remain on the pitch.

“This is not a foul. The Liverpool player is attempting to block and then falls over to deceive the referee. He achieved that aim when the referee wrongly pointed to the penalty spot,” he said to Football Insider.

“Fortunately and rightly, VAR intervened, and the referee overturned his original decision.”

It could have been a huge turning point for the Reds, but instead, it only encouraged the reigning champions to close out the game with two late goals from Ousmane Dembele.

Hugo Ekitike rubs salt into the wounds for Liverpool

As well as being knocked out of the Champions League, Arne Slot might have lost one of his most important players on a long-term basis.

Hugo Ekitike was stretchered off the pitch in the 31st minute, having fallen to the ground in pain following an inocious incident in the middle of the pitch, but it appears very serious.

Several reports believe that the Frenchman could be sidelined for as many as nine months with an Achilles injury, ruling him out of the 2026 World Cup over in America, Canada and Mexico.

Slot was already desperately upset about losing his star striker, and seeing another key decision going against the Reds only infuriated him more. Hackett believes that the right decision was reached, though.