Henry Winter questions PGMOL explanation after Liverpool denied equaliser at City | OneFootball

It says everything about where we are with VAR that one of the most respected journalists in English football has admitted even he’s lost for words over Liverpool’s latest controversy.

Henry Winter has weighed in on the Virgil van Dijk VAR controversy, saying he was “even more confused” after watching Howard Webb’s explanation on Mic’d Up.

Writing on X, the veteran reporter said: “The controversy cannot mask that Liverpool were deservedly tonked by a superior Manchester City…

“But focus should be on the need for the best league in the world to have the best officiating.”

He added that football “doesn’t belong to Stockley Park but to fans and players, who deserve the whole execution of VAR to be improved.”

Liverpool’s VAR nightmare continues

(Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Winter’s comments follow widespread criticism of how the decision to rule out our captain’s header was handled.

The VAR audio from officials emphasised Andy Robertson being ‘in line of vision’ of Gianluigi Donnarumma, despite replays clearly showing otherwise.

Webb even acknowledged that the Italian “does see the ball all the way”, raising more questions than answers.

It’s just the latest twist in a saga that’s already seen former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett accuse the officials of ‘manipulating the law’ to justify their call against us.

Hackett, who led the referees’ body himself, called the ruling “a clear manipulation of the law to justify an incorrect decision”.

When two of the game’s most respected voices are siding with Liverpool, it shows how serious the issue has become.

Time for real reform, not just explanations

(Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

The PGMOL released the VAR audio for Van Dijk’s disallowed header after our complaint earlier in the week, but the transparency hasn’t brought clarity.

Winter called for “more convincing explanations” and consistency across all matches, warning that “the decision has been and gone — but the focus will soon move on to another game and another controversy”.

He’s right. Until the officials match the standards of the league they serve, we’ll keep having the same conversations, the same excuses, and the same injustice.

You can view Winter’s take on the Van Dijk goal via his X account:

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