Referee John Brooks and his VAR team may have made a huge error in the recent Liverpool draw for not sending Tyrone Mings off for a horror tackle on Cody Gakpo.
What’s the latest on Liverpool and VAR?
The Reds were up against Aston Villa this weekend in the Premier League but a draw means their hopes of a top-four finish are only just hanging on by a thread.
The away team took the lead in the first half when Jacob Ramsey hit a sweet volley at the far post to open the scoring and it took until the 89th minute for Liverpool to draw level.
Indeed, playing in his final game at Anfield, club icon Roberto Firmino scored from close range to earn the Reds a point on the day.
However, the outcome of the game could have perhaps been different had referee Brooks reached for a red instead of a yellow earlier on in the match.
Shortly before half time, Mings stretched to win the ball but ended up planting his studs into Gakpo’s chest but avoid major punishment.
Did Mings deserve a red card against Liverpool?
As the images above on Twitter show, the Liverpool man was left with some brutal stud marks on his chest but VAR, somehow, evidently felt it wasn’t enough to upgrade the foul to a red card.
It was reminiscent of Nigel de Jong’s horror tackle on Xabi Alonso in the 2010 World Cup final which also saw the perpetrator avoid a red card – though VAR wasn’t in use back then.
Journalist James Pearce certainly seemed to think it was a foul deserving of more severe punishment. He wrote on Twitter: “Mings very lucky that his challenge on Gakpo isn’t upgraded from a yellow to a red by VAR. Caught Gakpo in the chest with his studs.”
Before adding: “Can’t believe Brooks wasn’t advised to look at the monitor.”
To make things worse, the Reds also had a goal controversially ruled out for offside in the game too and decision that left manager Jurgen Klopp baffled.
Indeed, he told the press (via Liverpoolfcnews): “I asked the referee why the offside goal was offside. He explained it to me. He thinks it isn’t a deliberate action from the defender, I think it is. VAR isn’t sure.”