‘LiVARpool is a real thing’ – Ex-refs chief: Liverpool have been worst hit by VAR decisions than any other club
Amadou Onana was lucky to avoid a red card for his challenge on Alexis Mac Allister with Liverpool being let down by VAR more than any other club.
That is according to former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee, Keith Hackett, who exclusively told Football Insider that he feels Liverpool have been on the wrong end of the most officiating decisions so far this season.
Liverpool hosted Aston Villa on 1 November as they aimed to put their wretched losing run to an end on Merseyside.
Goals from Mohamed Salah and Ryan Gravenberch sealed a 2-0 win for the hosts, but the game was not without controversy as Amadou Onana avoided a red card.
The big Belgian midfielder lashed out at Alexis Mac Allister in the 73rd minute of the game, but only received a booking and was allowed to continue playing.
Keith Hackett re-analyses Liverpool footage and reaches emphatic conclusion
Onana and Mac Allister clashed as a corner was about to be taken, leaving the latter clutching his face on the ground.
The Villa star clearly hit his opposite number in the throat, but referee Stuart Attwell only saw fit to give him a yellow and so he was unable to be retrospectively reprimanded.
Speaking exclusively on Football Insider’s Final Whistle show, Hackett insisted that Liverpool have been the team most hard done by this season and picked out the Onana incident as an example.
He said: “I’m heading that way (Liverpool being the most hard done by). I thought that Amadou Onana, when Villa played at Liverpool, when he grabbed Mac Allister in the throat and pushed him over, that for me was a red card.
“There was nothing from VAR, nothing from the referee…it was a poor piece of officiating. Liverpool on the wrong end of a decision.”
Hackett blasted VAR after wrong Onana decision
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider at the time of the penalty area incident, Hackett blasted VAR for not intervening to send off Onana, saying: “This is a bit of the nonsense that goes on with VAR. Who made the decision here?
“The referee has given a yellow for what he’s seen, but VAR could have given him a better view. I do think there’s a potential upgrade; let the referee look at the monitor. Then, if he’s still happy with his yellow card, so be it.
“That’s how VAR should operate. As the former boss of the PGMOL, this would have been a red card. I’m not looking for violence, just a line in the sand. You play football with your feet.”