VAR confirms penalty after heated debate as fans voice mixed reactions
The Premier League has issued an official statement following a contentious penalty decision during Liverpool’s match against Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday. The game, which pitted the top-of-the-table Reds against a surging Bournemouth side fresh off a 5-0 win over Nottingham Forest, quickly became a focal point for debate.
The action was evenly matched until the 27th minute, when Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo was deemed to have been fouled by Bournemouth’s Lewis Cook. Both players were sprinting and contesting a bouncing ball when Gakpo, 25, fell after contact from Cook, 27. However, many spectators felt that Gakpo appeared to have made more contact with his own leg than with the Bournemouth player.
Despite protests from both the Bournemouth players and the home crowd, the referee awarded a penalty. Mohamed Salah stepped up and calmly converted the spot-kick, giving Liverpool an early lead.
Shortly after the incident, the Premier League released a statement on their Match Centre X account, clarifying the decision:
“The referee’s call of penalty was checked and confirmed by VAR – with the challenge deemed to have been a trip by Cook on Gakpo. The VAR also confirmed Gakpo was onside in the build-up.”
The decision has sparked a flurry of reactions on social media. One fan exclaimed, “Unbelievable decision,” while another remarked, “Gakpo takes himself out of it to give Liverpool a penalty.” A third questioned the use of VAR, asking, “Can they also show their Liverpool kits underneath? That is never a penalty. What’s the point in VAR if they cannot slow it down and see that Gakpo tripped himself??” Yet another critic commented, “How on planet Earth is that a pen?! Wow,” and a final voice in the mix added, “If refs are going to give decisions like this in favour of Liverpool, might as well hand them the title straightaway.”
As the debate continues both on and off the pitch, the Premier League’s explanation stands as the final word on the decision—for now—leaving fans to ponder the balance between technology and human judgment in the beautiful game.
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