Cody Gakpo’s goal was ruled offside for a variety of reasons, leading to considerable confusion, and Jurgen Klopp asked the referee for clarification.
Gakpo’s goal was ultimately ruled out after referee John Brooks used the VAR, but the discussion surrounding the decision persisted into the following day.
The Premier League disclosed that the touch off Ezri Konsa was a “deflection” and “not a deliberate play,” which led to the initial explanation that it was an offside decision.
Klopp and many others do not share that opinion, and the manager approached the referee after the final whistle because, in his opinion, Konsa’s action was “deliberate.”
Because offside situations ought to be obvious, Klopp told reporters at Anfield, “I asked the ref why the offside goal was an offside goal.”
“He described it to me. ‘This is a subjective decision,’ he declared. He does not believe the defender intentionally did it; I do.
“I believe the VAR was uncertain, so he possibly believed it was possible, but in the end, subjective decisions are just that: decisions that were made and cannot be disputed.”
Another example of the ambiguity surrounding offside decisions, there is little doubt that a different set of officials might have had a different interpretation of the circumstances.
After Luis Diaz headed the ball back towards the middle of the box and then passed the ball to Virgil van Dijk, Konsa does seem to make a conscious effort to slow down and move his trailing leg.
Explained: Why referee John Brooks and VAR disallowed Gakpo goal
In this particular instance, it would be beneficial to release the audio that was exchanged between the referee and the video assistant referee, especially in light of the official’s previous frustrating performance.
Klopp avoided any flashpoints with any of the perplexing decisions thanks to his seat in the stands while serving his touchline ban.
This included Tyrone Mings’ yellow card challenge, which resulted in Gakpo being “branded” with studs to his chest; the VAR monitor was never consulted.
Klopp remarked on Gakpo’s chest, “Looks like he’s sponsored by a brand, three massive [cuts],” but thankfully the player was healthy enough to play the full 90 minutes without scoring.
