‘What I’m saying is’: Pundit baffled by first-half moment at Anfield during Liverpool and West Ham

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Sadio Mane eventually got his goal for Liverpool against West Ham today after yet another Premier League VAR check threatened to rule the goal out.

Mane had ghosted in behind the Hammers defence to put the finishing touches to a shot from Trent Alexander-Arnold to put Liverpool into a first-half lead. The Senegal international was extremely close to West Ham defender Craig Dawson and VAR, as usual, was left to have its say.

Of course, the goal was given with Mane adjudged to have been onside in the end. But according to legendary pundit, Andy Gray, Mane’s goal is the sort of call VAR shouldn’t even be getting involved in.

“I don’t really want to see goals disallowed for this. In the same way I said with Lukaku. They’re that close, I wouldn’t want to see a goal disallowed,” Gray said on BEIN Sports.

“That’s a much thicker line. And if the other line was thicker then they’re probably touching. What I’m saying is Lukaku’s was very much like that and was disallowed. We aren’t getting any uniformity with VAR and it’s no better.”

TBR’s View: VAR Needs Looking At Again

The good news here is that VAR did reach the right conclusion. But Gray is right in that Lukaku’s effort was so similar yet didn’t stand. Surely this can’t be right?

With decisions like this when you can see how close the attacker and defender are, you do feel it should literally just be the on-field decision given. The wait for VAR in the ground especially, remains a farce.