Liverpool: Arne Slot delivers clear verdict on Daniel Munoz goal controversy in Crystal Palace win | OneFootball

Colombian defender infuriated Anfield crowd after scoring with Reds goalkeeper Freddie Woodman down injured

Arne Slot lamented the refereeing during Liverpool’s 3-1 win over Crystal Palace as controversy reigned over Daniel Munoz’s second-half goal.

Palace right-back Munoz set up a grandstand finish to Saturday’s eventful Premier League match at Anfield after scoring to make it 2-1 with 19 minutes to play, curling home into an empty net from just outside the penalty area.

However, the goal proved hugely divisive as it came after Liverpool goalkeeper Freddie Woodman had suffered an injury while making a save to deny Ismaila Sarr just moments before.

Woodman caught his studs in the turf and hurt his knee, initially raising his hand in the air to call for treatment before briefly getting to his feet and unsuccessfully attempting to keep out Munoz’s effort, then falling to the pitch once more.

One fan even threw a ball at the Colombian international as he went to take a throw-in, striking him on the back of the head as tensions boiled over.

Afterwards, Slot insisted that referee Andy Madley should have stopped the game after Woodman went down.

“The way we conceded was not as expected,” the Dutchman told Sky Sports. “Is there a game we've played where there isn't a talking point about a referee's decision?

Frustration: Arne Slot protests to referee Andy Madley during Liverpool’s win over Crystal Palace

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“The amount of times I've played a game when we've been in a promising position and a player is on the floor and the referee has blown his whistle, I cannot even count, and for simulation.

“We've showed we are a fair team. We don't go to the floor if nothing is wrong. That happened against Man Utd when Macca (Alexis Mac Allister) was on the floor and Michael Oliver kept on playing and we conceded a goal. Macca had five or six stitches afterwards.

However, Slot’s Crystal Palace counterpart Oliver Glasner believes the correct decision was reached due to Woodman - who completed the full 90 minutes - having got back to his feet, insisting that his side would have let Liverpool score an immediate equaliser had the injury been serious.

He said it was a “dangerous” precedent to expect referees to stop the game in every such instance.

“We discussed with the fourth official, with Arne Slot and (Virgil) Van Dijk (what to do),” he said. “We had watched it back.

“The keeper gets up. If he doesn't and he has to be subbed then they could have definitely scored in our goal because then it would have been a serious injury.

“The ball goes to Daniel Munoz and the keeper raises his arm. He didn't really see it or it is the same time.

“The referee has to stop the game if he believes it is a serious injury but you see the keeper ends the game.

“To demand the referee has to stop the game can be very dangerous for the future. It was not so clear but I think it was the right decision in the end.”

Asked about the incident after the game, Woodman, making his first Premier League start for Liverpool with first-choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker and usual deputy Giorgi Mamardashvili both sidelined, said: “The grass was really dry and my knee got stuck in the ground. I felt pain on the inside of my knee. I was unsure what to do really.

“I didn't know whether to get up and hobble towards the goal or stay down. It's a bit of an unclear moment if the goalkeeper goes down. I thought naturally the game stops, but luckily it didn't punish us in the end.”

Liverpool defender Andy Robertson offered a defence of Munoz, saying: “I was closest to him and I don't think he looked up before he hit the ball.

“In a game like this, you just hope it doesn't punish you. When these things happen, you want the right result. It's one of these things, I don't think there's anyone to blame.”