Liverpool fans’ blood will boil even more as VAR error exposed in bad-tempered derby | OneFootball

Liverpool fans were holding on for a reprieve when James Tarkowski’s stoppage-time equaliser was subjected to a VAR check in Wednesday night’s Merseyside derby, but the goal was ultimately given and the Reds duly saw the three points for which they were on course reduced to one.

The Everton defender’s 98th-minute intervention was one of numerous controversial incidents from a match which saw no red cards issued during the game but four dished out after the final whistle as Michael Oliver seized his chance to put himself centre stage.

Conceding an equaliser so deep into added time is always tough to take, and when it happens against local rivals in contentious circumstances, it becomes thoroughly sickening to digest.

Oliver had already played well over the originally allotted five minutes of stoppage time when Tarkowski netted, although there had been a two-minute hiatus for a clash of heads between Jarrad Branthwaite and Carlos Alcaraz on 93:43.

VAR review goes in Everton’s favour

Everton fans’ celebrations may have been premature when VAR was called upon to check for a possible offside in the lead-up to the goal, and to adjudicate on whether Beto had fouled Ibrahima Konate in the penalty area.

Ultimately both of those calls went in the Toffees’ favour, although they could perhaps count themselves fortunate in one aspect.

As illustrated by Football Offsides on X – a profile which independently assesses VAR decisions – Abdoulaye Doucouré was marginally offside in the build-up to Tarkowski’s equaliser, but the goal was given due to the system’s built-in tolerance level.

Where was VAR’s ‘tolerance level’ for Sadio Mane in 2020?

It was such a tight call that the on-field officials couldn’t reasonably be expected to give it, and objectively it wouldn’t feel right to disallow a goal if a wafer-thin portion of a player’s anatomy is ahead of the last opponent.

However, unlike most refereeing decisions, offside is black-and-white – either a player is in an offside position or isn’t – and Liverpool fans will justifiably refer to an incident from a previous Goodison Park derby to expose the inconsistencies surrounding what should be a clear-cut judgement.

Where was the ‘built-in tolerance level’ for Sadio Mane in October 2020 when Jordan Henderson thought he’d netted a stoppage-time winner? That shambles was even harder to take on a day when Jordan Pickford got away scot-free for inflicting a season-ending ACL injury on Virgil van Dijk.

Also, whatever about a certain grace being shown to Doucoure in this instance, Beto clearly pushed Konate when the ball was crossed into the penalty area. How the VAR officials let that slide demands a public explanation.

Liverpool’s overall performance wasn’t at the level required of prospective Premier League champions, but the manner of the equalising goal certainly leaves a sour taste in the mouth. Alas, the Reds are powerless to change that now, so they must put it right by returning to winning ways against Wolves on Sunday.