There are different opinions among former Premier League judges about a key event in Liverpool’s win over Sheffield United.

With their 2-0 win in Yorkshire, the Reds kept the pressure on league leaders Arsenal. Captain Virgil van Dijk scored the first goal in the first half by heading in a corner from Trent Alexander-Arnold. Dominik Szoboszlai scored a cool goal in extra time to give Jurgen Klopp’s team all three points back on Merseyside.

When Liverpool scored their second goal, which won the game, it made Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder very angry. When Darwin Nunez slid in on defender Jayden Bogle, he won the ball back and then sent an incredibly accurate pass to Szoboszlai in open space. After the play was looked at again, the goal was upheld, which shocked former referee Keith Hackett, who thanked officials Simon Hooper and Michael Oliver for their work.

“I am bemused that Ref Hooper and VAR Oliver judged that this was not a foul,” Hackett wrote about the incident on X, which used to be Twitter. It’s against the law.”

When asked if Hooper was the same referee who caused a stir over the weekend by not giving Manchester City the ball in the last few seconds of their draw with Tottenham Hotspur, Hackett said, “Yes, it is the same referee, and these are mistakes caused by a lack of accurate judgment.”

Dermot Gallagher, a former Premier League official, had a very different opinion. He thought the refereeing team did a great job. He said that Nunez had already won the ball back for Liverpool before making contact with Bogle’s leg while watching the challenge on Ref Watch for Sky Sports.

Gallagher said, “It’s pretty clear that he won the ball.” As a Sheffield United player walks into the penalty area, he makes a Һit like that, but he has the ball before he touches Bogle. You would not expect a penalty to be given against him.

“Referee sees it clearly – VAR checks it afterwards – but the referee has a perfect view.”

Gallagher said, “A lot of it is, ‘Did you go through the man to win the ball?'” When asked why it wasn’t called a foul, Nunez came in from behind Bogle. There was no question that [Chelsea’s] Conor Gallagher got the man first in the one we saw on Sunday. Without a question, Darwin Nunez gets the ball first, and Bogle goes over him. Not a foul for me.”