Fulham’s Tom Cairney claims ref Stuart Attwell said Liverpool penalty was incorrectly awarded
By Kate Burlaga
2h ago
36
Fulham midfielder Tom Cairney has claimed that referee Stuart Attwell told one of his team-mates that Liverpool should not have been awarded what proved a match-winning penalty.
Liverpool won 1-0 at Anfield on Wednesday after Issa Diop was adjudged to have brought down Darwin Nunez, with Mohamed Salah converting from the spot six minutes before the break.
op appeared to misjudge his clearance, but replays cast doubt on the extent of contact between the centre-back and the Uruguay forward.
Speaking to Fulham TV, Cairney said: “To lose to a penalty that wasn’t a penalty is always a kick in the you-know-whats.
“At the time, I wasn’t sure. The ref made a decision, I thought he’d seen contact. I asked him on the pitch, ‘Please just make sure they (VAR) check it’.
“He said they checked it, but he said second half to one of our players that it wasn’t a penalty, so it’s frustrating because it goes to other people to make the correct decision.
“Issa Diop hasn’t touched him, Nunez has taken another step and then gone over, and then you lose to something like that at Anfield, which is frustrating when we’re trying to climb as high as we can.”
The Athletic has contacted the Premier League’s referees’ body, Professional Game Match Officials Limited, for comment.
VAR can be used to overturn a subjective decision if a ‘clear and obvious error’ has been identified, but any on-field decision will only be overturned with definitive evidence.
Fulham manager Marco Silva claimed the penalty award was “embarrassing”.
“The way they scored the goal, I have to say that is embarrassing,” he said. “Today in football to give a penalty like that, after the VAR didn’t take that penalty (away), it is difficult to understand.
“I will not say nothing more because after it will be difficult for me and I don’t want to create more problems for me. It is difficult to understand that penalty,” Silva said.
“When Darwin touch the ball he start to dive himself but after he touched his left leg with Issa.
“They are going to say it is harsh but the referee gave and after the VAR cannot take (away). It is always the same conversation. I didn’t speak with the referee at the end or at half-time. I had some words with the fourth official.
“Issa told me that it is clear not penalty. The referee made a mistake and the VAR is there to take that decision and not allow the penalty to go on. That’s clear for me.”
Liverpool opposite Jurgen Klopp said: “The penalty I like a lot because it is a counter-pressing situation; Darwin is fully in the situation and gets a pen, and Mo finishes it off.”
By Kate Burlaga
2h ago
36
Fulham midfielder Tom Cairney has claimed that referee Stuart Attwell told one of his team-mates that Liverpool should not have been awarded what proved a match-winning penalty.
Liverpool won 1-0 at Anfield on Wednesday after Issa Diop was adjudged to have brought down Darwin Nunez, with Mohamed Salah converting from the spot six minutes before the break.
op appeared to misjudge his clearance, but replays cast doubt on the extent of contact between the centre-back and the Uruguay forward.
Speaking to Fulham TV, Cairney said: “To lose to a penalty that wasn’t a penalty is always a kick in the you-know-whats.
“At the time, I wasn’t sure. The ref made a decision, I thought he’d seen contact. I asked him on the pitch, ‘Please just make sure they (VAR) check it’.
“He said they checked it, but he said second half to one of our players that it wasn’t a penalty, so it’s frustrating because it goes to other people to make the correct decision.
“Issa Diop hasn’t touched him, Nunez has taken another step and then gone over, and then you lose to something like that at Anfield, which is frustrating when we’re trying to climb as high as we can.”
The Athletic has contacted the Premier League’s referees’ body, Professional Game Match Officials Limited, for comment.
VAR can be used to overturn a subjective decision if a ‘clear and obvious error’ has been identified, but any on-field decision will only be overturned with definitive evidence.
Fulham manager Marco Silva claimed the penalty award was “embarrassing”.
“The way they scored the goal, I have to say that is embarrassing,” he said. “Today in football to give a penalty like that, after the VAR didn’t take that penalty (away), it is difficult to understand.
“I will not say nothing more because after it will be difficult for me and I don’t want to create more problems for me. It is difficult to understand that penalty,” Silva said.
“When Darwin touch the ball he start to dive himself but after he touched his left leg with Issa.
“They are going to say it is harsh but the referee gave and after the VAR cannot take (away). It is always the same conversation. I didn’t speak with the referee at the end or at half-time. I had some words with the fourth official.
“Issa told me that it is clear not penalty. The referee made a mistake and the VAR is there to take that decision and not allow the penalty to go on. That’s clear for me.”
Liverpool opposite Jurgen Klopp said: “The penalty I like a lot because it is a counter-pressing situation; Darwin is fully in the situation and gets a pen, and Mo finishes it off.”
