Howard Webb backs officials over disallowed Liverpool goal

Refereeing chief Howard Webb has supported the officials’ controversial on-field decision to nullify a Virgil van Dijk goal during Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat to Manchester City, stating it was “not unreasonable” to judge Andrew Robertson offside for interfering with play.

The incident unfolded in the 38th minute when Robertson, standing offside, ducked under Van Dijk’s header as the ball flew past Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and into the net. Referee Chris Kavanagh and assistant Stuart Burt ruled the Scotsman had impacted the play, and VAR Michael Oliver upheld the verdict.

In response, Liverpool have submitted a formal complaint to the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), arguing that Robertson’s actions did not meet the conditions required for an offside offence.

Speaking on the “Match Officials Mic’d Up” programme, Webb said the incident demonstrated the difficulty of interpreting rulebook phrases like “interfering with an opponent.”

“Interfering with an opponent where the offside position player doesn’t play the ball and the officials have to make a judgment whether the actions of that player impact an opponent, are some of the most subjective decisions that we have to make,” Webb explained.

He detailed the sequence of events: “We know the corner comes in and the ball reaches Van Dijk. As the ball’s coming across the penalty area, the Manchester City players move out, they leave Robertson in that offside position in the heart of the six-yard box.”

He added that at the precise moment of Van Dijk’s header: “he [Robertson] makes that clear action to duck below the ball.” The ball passed just over Robertson’s head before hitting the net, in the area where he had been standing.

This, in Webb’s view, justified the officials’ judgement: “The ball’s coming right towards him and he has to duck to get out of the way… they form the conclusion that that impacts Donnarumma’s ability just to dive towards the ball and make that save.”

Webb also defended VAR Oliver’s stance, saying his role was to intervene only if the ruling was clearly incorrect. “The VAR determines that the outcome of offside is not clearly and obviously wrong, and they stay out of it,” he said. “Only Donnarumma truly knows if he was impacted by this.”

He acknowledged there was confusion in the VAR audio, where an assistant official referenced “line of vision”, but clarified that other elements — such as the proximity to Donnarumma and the ducking action — were sufficient for an offside decision in themselves.

“There’s other aspects that can also say that this is an offside offence,” Webb stated. “Even if the keeper can see the ball… that ducking action could still cause hesitation.”

Liverpool manager Arne Slot had pointed to a similar-looking incident last season involving Bernardo Silva, where Manchester City were awarded a goal after a VAR review overturned an initial offside call.

But Webb countered that comparison. “The ball goes directly over the goalkeeper Jose Sa’s head. It doesn’t go over Bernardo Silva,” he said. “Silva… moved to the left, away from the flight of the ball… It’s difficult here to see this and think in any way that Jose Sa is impacted.”

Manchester City secured a comfortable victory at the Etihad, but the debate around consistency in decision-making rumbles on.