Rio Ferdinand was left in a state of shock as he reviewed footage from Liverpool’s 1-0 win over RB Leipzig.
The Merseysiders secured their third win in the Champions League league stage with a hard-fought away victory at the Red Bull Arena.
A result that sees Arne Slot’s men climb to joint top of the table with fellow high-flyers Aston Villa. Not bad going in the Dutchman’s opening campaign and a position that’s sure to earn him further plaudits for a strong 2024/25 campaign so far.
The Reds had previously defeated Bologna (2-0) and AC Milan (3-1).
Should Liverpool have won a penalty against Leipzig?
It’s a firm yes from Rio Ferdinand and Steve McManaman on TNT Sport’s punditry team.
The pair were responding to a moment of controversy that quite probably should have seen the visitors handed an opportunity to double their lead in Germany.
Darwin Nunez looked to earn Liverpool a spot-kick after scoring a first-half opening goal. However, the VAR team on duty felt Willi Orban hadn’t erred in upending the Uruguayan forward on the 37th minute.
“This is definitely a pen. I don’t know how VAR have looked at this and said, ‘no, right, play on’,” the 45-year-old said.
“When you see this in slow-mo, not this angle, in another angle we’ve got coming up. This one right here – there’s contact!
“VAR will have seen that angle and said, ‘no’. I cannot believe it!”
“I don’t know how VAR have looked at this and said ‘play on!'”
Rio Ferdinand and Steve McManaman were shocked that Liverpool weren’t given a first-half penalty ?
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Darwin Nunez denied a “stonewall” penalty?
That’s the view of infamous football commentator and YouTube personality Mark Goldbridge.
The United Stand presenter couldn’t help but chip in with his two cents on X (formerly Twitter) after the controversial moment.
He did indeed agree with Rio Ferdinand that the Reds had been treated unjustly, labelling the incident a “stonewall penalty”.
As an objective viewer, it’s hard to see how exactly the VAR team concluded Willi Orban’s contact wasn’t worthy of an intervention. With the footage in question slowed down, one can clearly see the 31-year-old German clip Nunez on the shin.
Enough in the way of contact to bring the former Penarol man crashing down to the turf? Most certainly at the speed the No.9 was travelling.
Fortunately for Arne Slot’s in-form men, it at least didn’t end up costing them another vital three points on the road.
