Riyad Mahrez’s annulled goal has exposed a major flaw in the new handball law, former high referee Dermot Gallagher said.
Manchester City were denied a fifth goal, which would have put the cherry on top of the demolition of Premier League champions Liverpool after video assistant referee (VAR) discovered that the ball had hit Phil Foden’s arm when Mahrez ran to get the ball into the net.
But he did not take into account the fact that Foden, who had brilliantly done to free Mahrez, was attacked from behind by Fabinho, causing him to fall in the path of his own pass, which hit his arm.
Under the new laws, referee Anthony Taylor had no choice but to discard the goal, as any goal that was scored or assisted by a hand or arm has to be rejected.
The fact that he should have given City a free kick again, and a yellow card for Fabinho, was lost in excitement.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Gallagher said the law is not serving its original purpose in cases like this.
He talked about Harry Kane’s goal earlier in the night, which was also rejected when Lucas Mora was fouled, and the ball hit his arm and bounced back for the striker to hide.
Gallagher said: “This is the unfortunate part of the new law. The referee and the VAR are totally irreproachable. He inadvertently strikes his arm when he falls, and the law as set out now says that if he strikes an arm and leads directly to a goal opportunity, which he does because it bounces off Kane, the target will be rejected.
“It is a very interesting decision to the extent that Moura was fouled and Chris Kavanagh played an advantage. What was lost in the check is that, when it is recommended that it not be allowed, the referee completely forgot the advantage and could have returned and given Tottenham the free kick.
“The law did not help the referee and it did not help Tottenham. I’m not sure that’s what it is for, but that’s how it is. ”
On Mahrez’s ‘goal’, Gallagher added: “It is incredible that we have two the same night. The ball was hit.
“The referee cannot do anything about it, once the VAR says ‘I must recommend that he give handball and not allow the goal.’
“It is very unfortunate. When this law came into effect, it was due to the goals of Willy Boly, Agüero and the like last year. No one saw this, and this is where it is now. “
Pundit and former City player Dany Mills went beyond the former referee, saying of Kane’s ‘goal’: “It is an absolute joke. It’s ridiculous.
“They punish you twice. It is just a joke decision. It also happened in the Man City game, a very similar situation, where a City player receives a foul, then hits his hand and the goal is discarded.
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“That is not just a foul, it is a yellow card. Why doesn’t the referee come back and do that …
“Whether it’s the law or whatever, it’s ridiculous. That has to be reviewed immediately. You can’t foul the players and then say, ‘Oh, because they fouled you, they hit your hand.’ That shouldn’t be right, and nobody wants that, in any situation. “
Mills also claimed that VAR should have ruled that Foden’s handball should not have been considered an assist, as Mahrez still had to run 30 yards and score.
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