{"id":1310049,"date":"2023-05-20T17:25:01","date_gmt":"2023-05-20T16:25:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1310049"},"modified":"2023-05-20T17:35:38","modified_gmt":"2023-05-20T16:35:38","slug":"cody-gakpo-liverpool-aston-villa-offside-premier-league-statement","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/news\/cody-gakpo-liverpool-aston-villa-offside-premier-league-statement\/","title":{"rendered":"Premier League confirm why Cody Gakpo’s goal was disallowed as Liverpool’s Champions League hopes slip away"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Premier League have released a statement confirmed by Cody Gakpo’s goal for Liverpool vs Aston Villa on Saturday afternoon was disallowed for offside.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Liverpool hosted Villa at Anfield knowing only a win would truly keep their hopes of Champions League football alive, trailing fourth-placed Manchester United by a point going into the weekend albeit having played a game more. While Man Utd were beaten Bournemouth, taking the lead after just nine minutes, Liverpool had a much tougher game against Unai Emery’s Europe-chasing Villans.<\/p>\n

And Liverpool didn’t have the best of starts. The Reds trailed 1-0 at half-time to Jacob Ramsey’s excellent finish from an acute angle, and it could have been a lot worse but Ollie Watkins had missed an earlier penalty, sending his effort completely wide of the post.<\/p>\n

At half-time, Liverpool were completely out of the top four race, four points behind Man Utd in the “as it stands” table with just one match left to play. Hope was not to be lost though as Gakpo equalised 10 minutes into the second half, tapping in from close range after a Virgil van Dijk cutback. Game on. Or was it?<\/p>\n

After a look from the VAR and referee John Brooks being sent to the screen to review, the goal was disallowed for offside. Cue confusion. Fans are usually used to offsides being decided by VAR, not the referee looking at the screen as — however minute they are — it’s a cut and dry thing. You’re either offside or you’re not, it’s a matter of fact.<\/p>\n

There was added confusion as Gakpo was behind the ball when Van Dijk played it back across goal towards him, and you cannot be offside if you are behind the ball. Van Dijk had also received the ball from Ezri Konsa, but that was where the offside offence occurred.<\/p>\n

“Virgil Van Dijk was in an offside position from Luis Diaz’s header,” a tweet from the Premier League’s official Twitter account<\/a> read.<\/p>\n

“The VAR recommended a review, and referee John Brooks determined it was a deflection off Ezri Konsa, not a deliberate play.”<\/p>\n

Deliberate play is a phrase that has confused many fans, particularly this season, when it comes to VAR. IFAB’s Laws of the Game<\/a> describe a deliberate play as ‘when a player has control of the ball with the possibility of: passing the ball to a team-mate; or gaining possession of the ball; or clearing the ball (e.g. by kicking or heading it).”<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

It continues: “If the pass, attempt to gain possession or clearance by the player in control of the ball is inaccurate or unsuccessful, this does not negate the fact that the player \u2018deliberately played\u2019 the ball.<\/p>\n

“The following criteria should be used, as appropriate, as indicators that a player was in control of the ball and, as a result, \u2018deliberately played\u2019 the ball:<\/p>\n