Controversial moment: Referee disallows van Dijk's goal against Man City
Jan Novak
Dailysports's expert
The clash between Liverpool and Manchester City is living up to fans’ expectations. The first half was packed with drama: Mamardashvili’s penalty save, Haaland’s 99th Premier League goal, and van Dijk’s disallowed strike.
In the 39th minute, the Dutch defender headed the ball into the net from a corner, leveling the score. Notably, Manchester City’s players didn’t protest, but referee Chris Kavanagh ruled out the goal after a VAR assistant’s intervention.
The replay showed Robertson was in an offside position, but he managed to avoid contact with the ball as it flew towards goal. The referee judged that the Scotsman was blocking Donnarumma’s view, playing an active role in the play—an interpretation that sparked heated debate and earned van Dijk’s sarcastic applause.
It’s worth noting that the first half ended 2-0 in favor of the Citizens.
