Ex-PGMOL chief absolves officials of any blame despite ‘ridiculous’ incident in Liverpool win | OneFootball

Former PGMOL chief executive Keith Hackett had symptathy with the officials over one contentious incident in Liverpool’s win on Sunday.

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The Reds ultimately came away from the City Ground with a 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest courtesy of a 97th-minute goal Alexis Mac Allister, who’d also found the net a few moments previously but was denied after a VAR review.

Ola Aina’s attempted clearance struck the elbow of the Argentine midfielder, who was within close proximity and was turning away from the ball, but the goal was disallowed (much to John Aldridge’s disgust) because of the complexities of the often ambiguous handball rule.

Hackett left with sour taste over Mac Allister handball incident

Speaking to Football Insider on Monday, Hackett absolved referee Anthony Taylor and his team of officials (including those on VAR) over the decision as they were following the letter of the law, instead hitting out at the ‘ridiculous’ ruling which thwarted Mac Allister in the 89th minute.

Image via Sky Sports

The former top-flight official said: “In that situation, the law is clear that if the ball strikes the arm and goes into the net, accidentally or intentionally, that goal cannot stand. It’s the correct decision in law.

“It does say ‘accidental’, but that’s why I’m critical of the handball law. You get the deflection off the body onto the arm as not handball, but in this situation, coming off the elbow into the net, it’s ruled out.

“If VAR wasn’t there, that goal would have been allowed. VAR is forensically analysing these things, and the lawmakers are trying to give greater clarity without understanding the game. You don’t want a goal like this ruled out.

“The handball law is the problem, not the referee or VAR. This is the law, and it’s the ridiculous part of not being able to score a goal, even if it’s accidental handball.”

Technically the correct decision, but morally the wrong one

Strictly speaking, the decision to disallow Mac Allister’s first ‘goal’ was correct and the officials were compelled to follow the rulebook, but it wasn’t just Liverpool fans who were left bemoaning how the incident was adjudicated.

As set out by IFAB, who maintain the Laws of the Game, the handball rule states: ‘A handball offence is committed when a player (except the goalkeeper in their own penalty area)…scores a goal against the other team with their hand/arm or scores immediately after the ball has touched their hand/arm (even if the touch was accidental)’.

(Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Taylor and his officiating team were complying with the law and would’ve been criticised if the goal was given, but the manner in which it came about still leaves a sour taste. As the ‘scorer’ said afterwards, ‘If you understand football, that goal should have stood’.

What actual wrongdoing did Mac Allister commit to end up being penalised? As football fans, do we want to see goals being chalked off for accidental ‘offences’, especially in an era of excessive interference from VAR over marginal decisions?

The technicality which (almost) cost Liverpool on Sunday was black-and-white, but the handball rule as a whole is one of the most contentious and subjective in football, and it seems like a debate which’ll never be fully resolved.

Let’s just be thankful that our number 10 went and scored again a few minutes later, this time with his efforts not being in vain and instead propelling the Reds to three vital points.