Although Brighton’s Pascal Gross was involved in the foul that led to Mohamed Salah’s penalty kick for Liverpool, several Reds supporters believed Anthony Taylor should have given the Brighton player a more severe penalty.
Pascal Gross did not receive a red card against Liverpool because VAR didn’t think he intentionally missed a chance to score by giving up a penalty.
On the cusp of halftime, the Brighton player took down Dominik Szoboszlai inside the box, awarding the Reds a penalty kick. Following his proper response, Mohamed Salah scored, giving Jurgen Klopp’s team the lead against the Seagulls after they had fallen behind midway through the first half.
However, several Reds supporters were left with the impression that Gross and Brighton ought to have received a heavier penalty. Despite a VAR review of the decision, there were cries for referee Anthony Taylor to even book the German player.
However, the PGMOL’s own regulations offer a clue as to why VAR did not step in to persuade Taylor to dismiss Gross. The definition of a denial of a goalscoring opportunity is clarified in the instructions provided.
Pascal Gross committed the foul that saw Mohamed Salah score a penalty for Liverpool, but some Reds fans felt the Brighton star escaped a harsher punishment from referee Anthony Taylor
But the PGMOL’s own rules give a hint as to why VAR did not intervene to convince Taylor to send off Gross. The guidance given on what constitutes a denial of a goalscoring opportunity clears matters up.
The rules state: “Where a player commits an offence against an opponent within their own penalty area which denies an opponent an obvious goal-scoring opportunity and the referee awards a penalty kick, the offender is cautioned if the offence was an attempt to play the ball or a challenge for the ball; in all other circumstances (e.g. holding, pulling, pushing, no possibility to play the ball etc.), the offending player must be sent off.”
It would seem that VAR Craig Pawson didn’t think the event merited a chance to score a goal. It is assumed that this is the case since Szoboszlai would have to regain possession because he was not heading towards goal.
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