Jay Rodriguez scored twice as West Brom won at Liverpool in an phenomenal FA Cup fourth-spherical tie dominated by video assistant referee (VAR) choices.
Referee Craig Pawson ruled out an Albion goal, gave Liverpool a penalty and delayed awarding the net site visitors’ 1/three goal in consequence of VAR referrals.
Rodriguez thumped an equaliser seconds after Roberto Firmino chipped an opener, then slotted Albion 2-1 up.
Joel Matip’s comprise goal made it three-1, sooner than Mohamed Salah pulled one back.
Liverpool’s first-1/2 penalty, which Firmino overlooked, used to be a 2nd of VAR historical previous – as it used to be the main time a referee in an English sport had referred to a video display on the touchline to invent a closing decision.
Pawson ruled, after a prime lengthen, that Jake Livermore had tugged Salah’s shirt, and pointed to the advise.
Liverpool pushed laborious for a late equaliser, nevertheless were terrible for a variety of the game as they fell to their first home defeat since 23 April final 365 days.
VAR takes centre stage – and causes controversy
This used to be easiest the sixth time in an English club fixture that the VAR gadget had been used; it proved central in a first 1/2 that used to be elephantine of controversy.
The gadget can easiest be used to overturn determined lower mistakes with targets, penalties, red cards and flawed identities – but referee Pawson referred to as on it three cases in an opening 1/2 that ended up lasting 50 minutes.
In every case, it looked that the ideal decision used to be reached, nevertheless the main speak for heaps of staring at used to be the lengthen in making those calls.
The ideal take-up surrounded the penalty awarded to Liverpool midway thru the main 1/2 for the deplorable by Livermore on Salah, with Pawson referring to a video display at the mouth of the avid gamers’ tunnel after consulting with video assistant referee Andre Marriner.
Nearly three minutes handed between the initial incident and Firmino stepping up to interact the penalty – with which he hit the underside of the bar.
It used to be the 2nd time in a jiffy that West Brom had been on the unpleasant rupture of a VAR decision, with Craig Dawson having seen a goal ruled out that will presumably per chance fetch set apart them three-1 up.
Marriner alerted Pawson to the indisputable truth that Gareth Barry, standing in front of Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet and interfering with play, used to be offside as Dawson headed in a Chris Brunt nook.
Ethical sooner than 1/2-time came the 1/three use of VAR, as Dawson’s despicable-shot flicked in off Matip for a 3rd Albion goal. Rodriguez had been offside earlier in the pass, nevertheless did no longer contact the ball at any stage, and used to be deemed no longer to be interfering with play. After a take-up while the tv photographs used to be reviewed, the goal stood.
Pawson additionally seemed as if it would possibly maybe presumably per chance presumably focus on with Marriner after Salah slotted in Firmino’s lay-off with 12 minutes left, even supposing there used to be no lengthen in play and no determined reason as to why the goal would possibly maybe presumably per chance presumably need been in doubt.
Albion convey spirit as Liverpool stumble
West Brom fetch confirmed main signs of revival since ending a 21-match winless trudge in all competitions by a hit at Exeter in the 1/three spherical of the FA Cup.
Alan Pardew’s aspect are peaceable next to bottom of the Premier League, nevertheless are unbeaten in four fits now, a hit three of them.
This used to be by some distance the most impressive of those three wins, coming without reference to conceding a amusing opening goal after six minutes, losing left-back Kieran Gibbs and striker Hal Robson-Kanu to damage in the main 1/2, and ending the match with easiest 9 fully-fit avid gamers on the pitch.
Firmino chipped Liverpool in front because the ball ran free after keeper Ben Foster had dived at the feet of Salah. The Egypt forward had snuck in as Albion captain Evans allowed a Livermore back pass to trudge thru, unaware of the ache building.
Albion’s response used to be famed; Rodriguez thumped an equaliser into the tip nook seventy one seconds later, then swept West Brom actual into a 10th-minute lead from a low Gibbs despicable.
The net site visitors led three-1 at 1/2-time, following the three main VAR calls, and Salah’s goal would possibly maybe presumably per chance presumably no longer set apart Liverpool.
Jurgen Klopp’s aspect did get a flurry of potentialities in the closing 20 minutes, with Foster saving neatly from James Milner and Danny Ings, and holding onto a late glancing header from Virgil van Dijk.
However they’ve didn’t create on the success of ending Manchester City’s unbeaten Premier League trudge, with this defeat following 5 days after a disappointing 1-zero loss at Swansea.
Both Evans and Livermore were limping with obvious injuries by the rupture, nevertheless they helped their 9 fit team-mates to address for a resolve on that can attain great to bolster them for the project of top-flight survival.
Man of the match – Jay Rodriguez (West Brom)
West Brom match True Madrid – the key stats
- West Brom were the main away team to realize three targets in the main 1/2 at Anfield since True Madrid did so in a Champions League match in October 2014.
- Liverpool’s 19-sport unbeaten home trudge came to an rupture, with this their first defeat at Anfield since a 2-1 defeat by Crystal Palace in April 2017.
- Liverpool conceded three targets in back to back home fits for the main time since January 2007.
- Jay Rodriguez has scored seven targets in his final 10 FA Cup appearances.
- Liverpool fetch didn’t attain with six of their final 10 penalties in all competitions, with four assorted avid gamers failing with those advise kicks (Origi, Firmino, Salah and Milner).
- There were correct seventy one seconds between Liverpool’s first goal and West Brom’s equaliser.
- West Brom fetch easiest scored more than as soon as in three away fits this season – all were in the cup (additionally three-1 v Accrington in the League Cup and 2-zero v Exeter in the FA Cup).
- Mo Salah has had a hand in 19 targets in 17 appearances at Anfield this season for Liverpool (14 targets, 5 assists).
- Roberto Firmino has been interested in sixteen targets in his final 15 appearances for Liverpool (11 targets, 5 assists).
What’s next?
Liverpool return to Premier League action at Huddersfield on Tuesday (20:00 GMT), 24 hours sooner than West Brom trudge to leaders Manchester City (20:00).
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