Alisson Becker: Ex-Premier League referee issues ‘big’ Liverpool claim as controversy analysed
Liverpool Alisson Becker should have been penalised and yellow carded for handball at Brighton.
That is according to former Fifa and Premier League official Keith Hackett, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the controversial incident at the Amex Stadium.
As shown on BBC’s Match of the Day (12 March), Alisson appeared to carry the ball out of his area in the second half of Liverpool’s 2-0 win.
However, Brighton’s appeals were waved away by referee Mike Dean and his assistants.
VAR official Stuart Attwell could not intervene as the potential offence would not have been punishable by a penalty or red card.
Hackett applauded the officials for not guessing a “big decision”.
“Alisson handled it outside the area,” he told Football Insider‘s Dylan Childs.
“The reason VAR doesn’t come in on that is because, in effect, it isn’t a red card offence.
“The player involved has little probability of controlling the ball. If you actually took Alisson away, would the Brighton player have got to the ball. I don’t think so.
“For me, it’s a handball that should have been picked up by the match officials. It would be a yellow card, not a red and that is why VAR did not intervene.
“It is difficult for the assistant referee and the referee can’t guess it. Ultimately, they missed a foul from the goalkeeper.
“I’d prefer that over a guess that he is outside the area. For a big decision, a decision of that magnitude, you do not guess it.”
In other news, an ex-Fifa official is ‘gobsmacked’ by Mike Dean and his colleague ‘sleeping on the job’ as Liverpool controversy analysed.