Liverpool news: Ex-Premier League referee slams ‘nonsense’ laws as controversial Virgil van Dijk footage analysed
Joel Matip’s disallowed goal for Liverpool in their EFL Cup triumph over Chelsea yesterday (27 February) shows the offside law is not fit for purpose.
That is the view of ex-Fifa and Premier League referee Keith Hackett, speaking exclusively to Football Insider after the goal was chalked off after Virgil van Dijk was adjudged to have interfered with play from an offside position.
Liverpool whipped a free-kick in the second-half that Sadio Mane was able to put back across goal unmarked before Matip headed in from close-range.
However, after a VAR review, the goal was disallowed as Van Dijk was adjudged to have been offside when the free-kick was taken and was stopping Reece James from marking Mane.
Van Dijk told Sky Sports after the game he “doesn’t understand the rule” and Hackett agrees the law is not fit for purpose.
He said after analysing the footage with Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley: “I think this is the difficulty of the law.
“If you look at the law, you look at the incidents then it is correct. It shows that, in a way, the interference is more technical. These are decisions made on a drawing board more than on a field of play.
“My principles are they are right in law but the law is not fit for purpose.
“What do fans want? Fans want goals, ideally against the opposition. We are seeing a law that is chalking off too many goals.
“The law is not fit for purpose. I think the law regarding the interfering of an opponent, is, frankly, nonsense.”
In other news, Kieran Maguire has revealed Liverpool are set for ‘significant revenue gains’ after a sponsor announcement.