Gary Lineker and Micah Richards both thought Virgil van Dijk’s disallowed goal was “harsh” on Liverpool as they lost 3-0 to Manchester City.

After Erling Haaland put the Citizens ahead earlier in the match, Van Dijk had a headed goal chalked off by VAR with Andy Robertson, who was in an offside position, ducking out the way of his effort.

The VAR at Stockley Park deemed the Liverpoolleft-back to be interfering with play as Robertson produced an ‘obvious action directly in front of the goalkeeper’.

Manchester City went on to score the next goal on the stroke of half-time through Nico Gonzalez before Jeremy Doku’s long-range strike wrapped things up in the second half.

Debating the decision to rule out the Liverpool goal in the first half, both Lineker and Richards thought the ruling was “harsh” on Arne Slot’s side, although they doubt it would have made much of a difference to the result.

Lineker said on the Rest Is Football podcast: “I wonder if it would have made a difference at all.

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“I suspect not, but we’ll never know because it’s hypothetical if the Virgil van Dijk goal had been given because that would have made it 1-1, wouldn’t it? I think, I mean, it was a bit of a harsh one.

“I mean, yes, he was in an offside position and yes, he ducked out the way, but I don’t think he affected the goalkeeper at all. There was one angle in particular you thought actually he’s not in his line of sight.

“I mean, he might be in his line of sight – it was one of those. I was surprised that they turned that over. I thought it was a harsh one on Liverpool, and Liverpool fans will obviously turn to that.”

Former Manchester City defender Richards added: “Yeah, totally agree. I think at the time, what was it? One-nil, that would have made it one-all. I don’t like it, and I agree with you, Gary.

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“I think it’s really, really harsh, and the referees have got a decision to make there. He does make a difference because he ducks out of the way, so the goalkeeper is always adapting to what’s in front of him.

“But I don’t think he would have got there anyway. So I think it’s particularly harsh. And that could have been the difference in the game. But, you know, Man City were the better team anyway.

“So if Liverpool has scored, I then would have backed Man City to score, to score more goals in the game anyway.”

Richards also called for the offside rules to be changes, he continued:? “It’s too complicated. Just simplify, if you’re in an offside position, it’s offside, it gets rid of all the debate, doesn’t it?

“But yeah, I do feel for Liverpool on that particular decision because it was, yeah, he wasn’t going to get the ball, Donnarumma, so I understand.”

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