Dermot Gallagher reacts to West Ham United controversy in Liverpool defeat. Dermot Gallagher has made his feelings known after West Ham fell to defeat against Liverpool after a controversial decision on Sunday.
The Hammers travelled to Anfield on 13 April and so nearly nicked a point when Andy Robertson scored a bizarre goal late on. This was wiped out when Virgil van Dijk headed home the winner just minutes later to make sure the Premier League leaders kept hold of all three points.
It is fair to say the winner from the Netherlands international didn’t come without controversy, as former Premier League referee Gallagher has shared his initial reaction.
Gallagher reacts to Lucas Paqueta incident v Liverpool. The Hammers weren’t happy when the 33-year-old defender powered home a header past Alphonse Areola, mainly because of how the corner came about
It appeared that Paqueta had been fouled by Alexis Mac Allister before his cross come shot deflected wide of the post and out for the set-piece.
Referee Andy Madley didn’t give a foul despite clear contact from the Argentina international on the back of the Irons’ attacking midfielder.
As a result of the ball going out just moments after the potential foul, VAR couldn’t intervene, as explained by Gallagher live on Sky Sports News (14 April).
He said: “What it does is it raises an interesting point, in so much as, if the referee gives a foul, it goes away. The referee doesn’t give a foul, and it doesn’t go in the net, it goes for a corner.
“If it goes in the net, the VAR will look at it. Because it goes for a corner, it does have that vagueness. I did actually [think it was a foul].”
Liverpool get away with one v West Ham
The Irons came so close to taking a point away from Merseyside that it came as a bitter blow to lose in such circumstances.
Paqueta certainly faced contact from the Reds’ midfielder from behind and was in his rights to go down.
Perhaps it was a prior expectation of the Brazilian to go down easily, or maybe it was an oversight from the officials but nothing was given.
This ultimately led to the winner from Van Dijk, which cancelled out all of the hard work from the likes of Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen upfront at Anfield.
This came as a blow to Graham Potter’s side, who suffered their third loss in their last five games as frustrations continue at the London Stadium.
Fans may voice their issues after the defeat at Anfield, but this time, there was little that the Irons could do when decisions like that go against them.
