Liverpool supporters have every right to feel frustrated with some of the refereeing decisions that have gone against the club this season.
And now another set of figures has added fuel to the debate.
According to a Premier League table adjusted for VAR errors, Liverpool would be sitting third in the table, just four points behind leaders Arsenal, if the major decisions had gone the right way.
That is a significant difference.
Of course, this is a hypothetical table rather than an official league standings calculation, and nobody can say with certainty how every match would have finished if a decision had been different.
But it does raise an important question: how much have refereeing mistakes cost Liverpool this season?
The Isak penalty decision against Arsenal was a clear error
Today’s confirmation from the Premier League’s Key Match Incidents panel makes the frustration even greater.
Liverpool lost 1-0 to Arsenal at Anfield, but the panel has now ruled that Alexander Isak should have been awarded a penalty after Jurrien Timber pulled his shirt inside the penalty area.
Four of the five panel members agreed that a penalty should have been awarded.
Even more importantly, three of the five believed VAR should have intervened and recommended an on-field review.
Instead, referee Andy Madley allowed play to continue, while VAR Stuart Attwell decided there was no reason to overturn the decision.
Liverpool were denied the opportunity to potentially get themselves back into the game.
Would a penalty definitely have changed the result? No. We cannot claim that. But it would have given Liverpool a huge opportunity to equalise with plenty of time remaining.
And that is precisely why these decisions matter.
The difference in the hypothetical table is striking
The adjusted table following the first nine rounds of fixtures had Liverpool moving up to third place on 21 points, with Arsenal on 25.
That would have left the Reds just four points behind the league leaders.
Instead, Liverpool were sitting fourth on 18 points after their subsequent victory over Crystal Palace, while Arsenal continued to strengthen their position at the top.
The adjusted figures also show how much the missed decision against Arsenal influenced Liverpool’s position in the alternative table.
It is another reminder that individual refereeing decisions can have a major impact on the league campaign.
This isn’t about making excuses
I want to make something clear: Liverpool have not been perfect this season.
There have been performances that deserved criticism, points dropped through our own mistakes and games where the team simply hasn’t been good enough.
The defeat against Arsenal was a good example. Alisson’s mistake gifted them the winning goal, and Liverpool failed to register a shot on target.
We cannot blame officials for everything.
But that doesn’t mean supporters should stay quiet when obvious mistakes are made.
Liverpool have been on the wrong end of some hugely frustrating decisions, and the Isak incident is particularly difficult to accept because the independent panel has now confirmed what many of us were saying immediately after the match.
If VAR is there to correct clear and obvious errors, why wasn’t it used?
Liverpool deserve consistency, not special treatment
I don’t want Liverpool receiving decisions simply because they are Liverpool.
All supporters want is consistency and the same standards applied to every club.
The Premier League invests enormous amounts of money in VAR and tells us it is there to improve decision-making. Yet when an independent panel subsequently confirms that a major mistake was made, it is difficult not to question what the system is actually achieving.
These decisions can influence points, league positions, European qualification and ultimately the success of a season.
Liverpool should not have to accept that without asking questions.
My verdict
The idea that Liverpool could be third and just four points behind Arsenal without VAR errors makes for interesting reading.
It doesn’t mean Liverpool would definitely be challenging for the title, and it certainly doesn’t excuse the team’s own shortcomings.
But it does highlight how costly some of these decisions can be.
The Premier League has now admitted Liverpool should have had a penalty against Arsenal. That is another decision that cannot be brushed under the carpet.
I want Liverpool to improve on the pitch, become more consistent and give Andoni Iraola the squad he needs to compete.
But I also want referees and VAR officials held accountable when they get important decisions wrong.
We aren’t asking for favours. We’re asking for the correct decisions – and the same standards for everyone.
By Jamie
(The Kopite View)
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