The game was overshadowed by chaos off the pitch, including a major VAR controversy, a racism incident, and breaking news that Premier League head of refereeing Howard Webb has taken tough action against referee Anthony Taylor for critical mistakes that could have changed the result.
Bournemouth fans were furious, accusing VAR of making “mystery decisions no one understood,” fueling claims of bias and inconsistency—though no evidence points to corruption.
The biggest flashpoint came in the 63rd minute when Milos Kerkez appeared to block Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross with his arm, stopping what looked like a goal-bound shot from Salah.
Replays clearly showed Kerkez’s arm in an unnatural position, sparking protests from Liverpool players, but Taylor waved play on and VAR’s Paul Tierney backed the decision, calling it “accidental” and the arm “in a natural position.”
Sky Sports reported VAR could not overturn it since it wasn’t judged as a “clear denial of a goal-scoring chance.” Jamie Carragher, on commentary, blasted the call: “What I just heard from VAR today never happened—it’s a disgrace!”
Fans on social media agreed, calling it a “robbery,” while the Premier League’s Match Centre account insisted VAR made the correct call. Critics pointed to the league’s own handball rules, which punish “unnatural” arm positions, especially when blocking shots. According to outlets like SportBIBLE, Webb has now acted against Taylor for this and other errors in the game, though details of the punishment remain secret. Reports suggest it could mean suspension or even demotion, in line with Webb’s push for accountability after previous high-profile VAR blunders.
The controversy also included a missed call on a potential foul in the build-up to one of Bournemouth’s goals, while Chiesa’s late strike had Bournemouth fans claiming VAR ignored a foul by him beforehand—though no proof of corruption has surfaced. Webb recently said VAR mistakes are down 80% this season, but this incident may now be recorded as another official error, drawing comparisons to Bournemouth’s wrongly disallowed goal versus Newcastle earlier in the campaign.
The match was further marred by an ugly moment in the first half when Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo reported racist abuse from a Liverpool supporter in a wheelchair during a throw-in, causing a brief stoppage. Under new anti-racism rules, the fan now faces a lifetime ban and possible prosecution. Liverpool condemned the act and promised full cooperation with authorities.
On the footballing side, Salah’s brilliant first-half strike—matching Frank Lampard’s 177 Premier League goals—along with goals from Ekitike, Gakpo, and Chiesa, carried Liverpool to victory, despite Semenyo’s two goals keeping Bournemouth in the game.
Webb’s decision to act against Taylor is being seen as a strong warning to referees: major mistakes, whether deliberate or not, will carry harsh consequences as the Premier League continues its fight to restore faith in officiating standards.
