Liverpool players were filled with rage after VAR awarded Crystal Palace a penalty, despite the game continuing on for one minute and 45 seconds.
Jarell Quansah was punished for a foul on Jean-Philippe Mateta inside the Liverpool penalty box. But the decision only came after the game was allowed to continue on for 105 seconds.
Referee Andy Madley was then told by the VAR to go and watch the challenge on the pitchside monitor. Madley took only around 10 seconds to point to the spot, allowing Mateta to send Alisson Becker the wrong way and make it 1-0.
Jurgen Klopp looked bemused by the decision, with so much time passing between the foul and the VAR call to Madley. He was even more frustrated given that Ibrahima Konate was on the touchline ready to come on to replace young defender Quansah.
The delay in VAR referring Madley to the monitor came because the VAR operatives at Stockley Park were checking for an offside against Palace in the build-up to the foul. Once they had determined there was no offside, Madley was given the opportunity to review the replay.
“I thought it was a penalty when I saw it,” Rio Ferdinand said. “There was definitely contact, the young centre back Quansah didn’t see Mateta there and there was contact. In today’s game, it’s definitely a penalty.”
Liverpool came into the early kick-off in the Premier League two points behind leaders Arsenal. Victory for Klopp’s side would have sent them top ahead of Arsenal’s game against third-placed Aston Villa at 5.30pm.
The penalty was the second contentious moment for VAR in the game, with a spot-kick looked at in the first half. Virgil van Dijk had been penalised for fouling Odsonne Edouard in the box, but after a long check, the penalty was ruled out for a foul by Palace midfielder Will Hughes on Liverpool’s Wataru Endo in the build-up.
Madley was in the spotlight again later as Jordan Ayew was sent off for a second yellow card. Liverpool took advantage quickly, with Mohamed Salah equalising to make it 1-1.
Salah’s bobbled shot brought Liverpool level and moved him 200 goals for the club and onto 150 in the Premier League altogether for the Reds and Chelsea.
