Liverpool ask PGMOL about disallowed Van Dijk goal

Liverpool have made contact with Professional Game Match Officials Limited to raise their concerns over the decision to disallow Virgil van Dijk's goal in Sunday's 3-0 defeat at Manchester City.

With City winning 1-0, Van Dijk appeared to have equalised with a header but the effort was ruled out on the field, a decision confirmed after a Video Assistant Review.

VAR determined Andrew Robertson was in an offside position because he was positioned in front of goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and was deemed to have made an obvious action by ducking directly in front of the Italian.

However, the Anfield club does not accept, according to the wording of the rules, that the relevant criteria for an offence was met for referee Chris Kavanagh to disallow the Liverpool captain's effort in the 38th minute of the game.

After scrutinising all available footage taken from multiple angles, Liverpool reject the notion Donnarumma's line of sight was impacted by Robertson's position.

The Reds are also bewildered as to why the VAR process, which was being overseen by Michael Oliver, did not conclude with the goal being awarded.

Liverpool accept the outcome of the game but the decision to contact Howard Webb, the head of refereeing body PGMOL, to convey their concern was taken because the club believe the incident should not be allowed to pass without challenge or scrutiny.

The wording of the relevant Law 11 stipulates a player in an offside position is only penalised on becoming active by: "interfering with play by playing or touching a ball passed or touched by a team-mate or interfering with an opponent by preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent's line of vision or challenging an opponent for the ball or clearly attempting to play a ball which is close when this action impacts on an opponent or making an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball."