Former PGMOL Chief points out a clear mistake by officials in Liverpool’s win over Ipswich
Liverpool got their first win under new boss Andoni Iraola, beating Ipswich Town 2-0 at Portman Road. Reds fans were happy to see Alexander Isak score twice, with Cody Gakpo setting up both goals.
However, the former head of PGMOL was surprised by a big mistake from the referees involving a penalty call that could have given Isak a chance for a hat-trick. In the second half, referee Darren England checked with VAR about whether Dominik Szoboszlai should get a penalty after being fouled by Leif Davis. England admitted he missed the call but said no penalty would be given because Szoboszlai was offside in the build-up.
Still, Keith Hackett, the ex-PGMOL chief, criticized the officials for a first-half decision when Gakpo was fouled by Ipswich’s Abdul Fatawu in the box. The referee didn’t award a penalty, and VAR didn’t step in. Hackett told Football Insider: “This was a clear penalty. The foul was so late, I’m surprised the referee missed it. Although PROref wants less VAR interference, this was a clear mistake and VAR should have acted.”
After the match, Iraola praised Gakpo’s great game and the two assists that helped secure his first win as Liverpool manager. He didn’t mention the missed penalty call, as it didn’t affect the result. Iraola said, “Cody has been very good in pre-season and this season. Even after his assists, he finished the game as a striker, which is great. It’s good to have him able to play in any of the three forward positions.”
Next up for Liverpool is a Champions League match at Anfield against Atletico Madrid.