The Premier League has released a statement clarifying why Virgil van Dijk’s header against Manchester City was ruled out during Sunday’s 3-0 defeat for Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium.
Van Dijk appeared to have equalised at 1-1 after Erling Haaland had put City ahead, but the goal was disallowed for offside, despite Andy Robertson not making contact with the ball.
VAR confirmed that Robertson’s movement was enough to interfere with the goalkeeper’s ability to play the ball. The Premier League Match Centre later explained that Robertson’s proximity constituted “an obvious action which impacted an opponent’s ability to play the ball,” rendering the goal invalid.
The decision sparked debate among fans and pundits, particularly as City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma seemed unlikely to have reached Van Dijk’s header regardless of Robertson’s positioning.
Nico Gonzalez doubled Manchester City’s lead just before half-time, and Jeremy Doku added a third in the second half, sealing a comprehensive win for Pep Guardiola’s side.
The result leaves Liverpool in eighth place with 18 points, while Manchester City move to within four points of league leaders Arsenal.
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