Liverpool defender Andy Robertson conceded his aspect’s penalty for a late Champions League winner at Inter Milan “seemed smooth”.

The spot-kick was scored by Dominik Szoboszlai with two minutes remaining to seal a 1-0 success on the San Siro, sending the Reds as much as eighth within the league part standings.

Commercial

It was awarded after Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni was penalised for pulling on Florian Wirtz’s shirt.

Contact appeared minimal and raised questions over whether or not it could be given within the Premier League, however selections are seen otherwise in European competitors.

“The penalty did look smooth, however that is given anyplace else on the pitch,” Robertson informed Amazon Prime.

What precisely occurred?

Wirtz went down contained in the field after a small tug on his shirt by Bastoni.

After a brief video assistant referee (VAR) assessment, the referee awarded the spot-kick and Szoboszlai stepped up in Mohamed Salah’s absence to fireplace house his second purpose in successive video games after netting within the 3-3 draw at Leeds.

Commercial

There was additionally one other controversial incident within the first half, when Ibrahima Konate’s close-range header was disallowed.

Szoboszlai’s nook within the thirty second minute deflected off Hugo Ekitike’s arm and looped as much as Konate, who nodded in.

Nonetheless, after a five-minute VAR verify, the purpose was dominated out for handball.

What was the response?

Many observers agreed the penalty was smooth.

“Did they need to get that penalty? Most likely not, however the followers will not care,” former Liverpool full-back Stephen Warnock stated on BBC Radio 5 Stay.

Inter midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan, talking to Amazon Prime, added: “I do not know the way they got here up with a penalty that by no means existed, however that is soccer.

Commercial

“We aren’t pleased. If you happen to give a penalty like this, then each contact within the field is a penalty.”

Ex-Inter Milan midfielder Clarence Seedorf informed Amazon Prime: “The defender shouldn’t do this, it wasn’t wanted in any respect, however positively a light-weight determination.”

Evaluation: Change of method in Premier League

When VAR was first used within the Premier League, a number of smooth penalties had been awarded.

Liverpool followers will keep in mind the spot-kick they conceded at Brighton when Robertson tapped the underside of Danny Welbeck’s boot, and the striker went to floor theatrically. The VAR intervened and gave the penalty although contact was slight.

Commercial

This prompted a change in method, to what the Premier League deemed “contact with consequence”. It meant the VAR ought to bear in mind whether or not the contact, kick or pull was matched by the way in which a participant goes to floor.

It’s is why we began to listen to references to glancing contact in a deal with or, relating to a shirt pull, a fleeting maintain.

Holding the shirt will not be a foul in itself, it should have affect on an opponent. If there’s a little bit tug, and the striker falls like he is been pulled proper down, he shouldn’t be rewarded with a penalty.

We noticed this earlier within the season when Newcastle striker Nick Woltemade threw his arms up when a Bournemouth defender held his shirt. It might have been a penalty, however the way in which the Germany worldwide went down counted towards him, as a result of it seemed like an unnatural fall in comparison with the extent of the shirt pull.

Commercial

We have seen the same form of factor with handball, each for penalties and when a purpose is scored, between the Premier League and in Europe.

Initially of the season, I particularly requested Premier League referees’ chief Howard Webb about this.

He stated: “If I get requested about it, and I do communicate to my counterparts on a regular basis, I’m fast to level out that we’re right here to use the Legal guidelines of the Sport. After all, as now we have to do.

“However throughout the legal guidelines, the sport is a component of interpretation, and with handball what’s deemed unjustifiable, or unnatural is a judgement. It is interpretation.

Commercial

“We see handball penalised elsewhere considerably otherwise. I feel that is out of a drive for consistency, significantly for those who take a look at Uefa competitions, the place you’ve got acquired lots of totally different footballing cultures coming collectively.

“So officers from everywhere in the continent, groups everywhere in the continent. Penalising these conditions when the arm is away from the physique extra often offers that consistency.

“I might by no means say we’re proper, they usually’re incorrect or vice versa. It is simply all about attempting to attempt to officiate the sport in a means that greatest serves the expectations of the sport the place you are working.

“By way of the talk round handball, right here it is lowering considerably. That would solely be as a result of we’re doing it in a means that almost all of individuals appear to assume is the way in which that they might count on it to be finished right here.

Commercial

“I respect the way in which it is finished elsewhere, in fact, however for us right here, it appears to work effectively.”