Why Man City goal vs Liverpool was disallowed amid Alisson explanation
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher insists Manuel Akanji was correctly penalised for fouling Alisson Becker in the build-up to Ruben Dias' disallowed goal on Saturday.
Manchester City briefly thought they'd gone 2-0 up at home to Liverpool as Dias tapped in from close-range. Alisson attempted to claim Julian Alvarez's in-swinging corner but, after a slight contact from Akanji, dropped the ball.
Referee Chris Kavanagh was quick to blow the whistle for a foul and after a brief VAR check the decision was confirmed. The call has split opinion and many City supporters feel it was incorrect, but Gallagher insists that while contact was minimal it was enough to impede the goalkeeper.
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“People say goalkeepers are over-protected but you only have to knock him slightly off balance and he's lost all stability, he can’t catch the ball and he loses it,” Gallagher told Sky Sports. “I think he knocks him enough off balance to give a foul. And when he hits [Akanji’s arm], he loses the ball. Definitely [the right decision].”
That goal would have given City breathing space over their visitors on 70 minutes following Erling Haaland's first-half opener. But instead Liverpool rallied and Trent Alexander-Arnold equalised with 10 minutes to go, arrowing an effort into Ederson's bottom corner.
Pep Guardiola's side briefly held their place at the top of the Premier League but have since dropped down to second following Arsenal's late win at Brentford on Saturday evening. They face RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Tuesday before heading to Tottenham at the weekend.
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