Throughout the first half, Southampton had allowed Liverpool to build pressure on them. However, a couple of careless plays by Liverpool changed the tide and led to a penalty for the home team in the second half.
When Virgil van Dijk lost possession after a run up the field, Robertson, who had been on the back foot, stretched out his leg to evade Dibling’s advances.
In response to Liverpool’s left back’s protests, the referee pointed to the spot after consulting with his assistant. The left back was adamant that the ball had gone outside the box.The Premier League Match Centre issued a statement after the VAR confirmed the on-field verdict, indicating that it was quite close.
“The decisions of the referee regarding the penalty for Robertson’s challenge on Dibling have been reviewed and validated by VAR. They determined that there is insufficient evidence to suggest that the contact happened outside of the penalty area.”
Given that there was determined to be ‘no conclusive evidence’ to reverse the call, the judgment, which was overseen by VAR’s Michael Oliver, is sure to divide opinion.Although the line is technically part of the penalty box according to the regulation, many people believe that Robertson blocked Dibling’s path outside the box before it entered the area.
The crux of the matter is that the Scot was careless in his lunge, which allowed the officials to punish him.
As a result, Liverpool lost their advantage from the first half and went into halftime tied 1-1. Caoimhin Kelleher saved Adam Armstrong’s penalty, but he was unable to stop the rebound.