Jamie Carragher give verdicts on controversial moment in Man City 1-1 Liverpool

Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards concurred that it was unfortunate for Manchester City that Ruben Dias’ goal was overturned in the second half of their draw with Liverpool on Saturday.

With goals from Trent Alexander-Arnold and Erling Haaland, the top two teams in the Premier League drew 1-1 at the Etihad.

The latter’s equalizer in the 80th minute, however, might not have mattered if Dias’ goal had stood ten minutes earlier.

The Liverpool goalkeeper was struck by the arm of the defender Manuel Akanji as a cross entered the box, leading to the decision that the defender had fouled Alisson during the build-up.

Dias, who was waiting, then managed to tap in the ball after it slipped through his fingers. Chris Kavanagh announced on the field that the goal should not stand, and a brief VAR review failed to overturn his decision, keeping City just one goal ahead at the time.

Carragher thought the goal was unfairly disallowed and said Kavanagh’s call was crucial to the outcome of VAR. The former Liverpool defender said on Sky Sports, “I think Liverpool and Alisson are really lucky.”

“If the referee doesn’t give that, VAR are not saying that’s a foul. There’s no way in the world. A goalkeeper of his quality… it’s hardly anything.

“It’s like a centre-back and a centre-forward challenging for a header,” he continued. “He hasn’t got his hand above his arm. What it reminds me of is the Newcastle v Arsenal situation – it was probably 50/50 on was it a foul on Gabriel.

“But the fact the referee hadn’t given it, it was never going to be overturned. Even if it was a foul, we want Gabriel to be stronger. There, from a Liverpool point of view, I’m thinking I want my goalkeeper to be dealing with that. If the referee doesn’t blow his whistle that will be a goal and we can argue if it is a foul, but you would still think your goalkeeper has to deal with that.”

It was a view Richards agreed with. “Alisson pushes him first and then he tries to go back into Alisson. It’s very soft, if I’m being honest. He [Akanji] is not stopping him put his arm up, he’s sort of used it as a guide.”