Gary Neville has revealed the behind-the-scenes VAR conversation that led to the overturning of a Liverpool penalty against Chelsea, sparking controversy.
The incident occurred when Curtis Jones collided with Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez in a one-on-one situation. Initially, the referee awarded a penalty, but after a VAR review led by Michael Oliver, the decision was reversed. According to Neville, the VAR team informed referee John Brooks that Sanchez made contact with the ball, which justified the reversal.
Liverpool had already taken the lead through a Mohamed Salah penalty earlier, and this overturned decision left many questioning the consistency. There were additional appeals from Liverpool, particularly when Jones was taken down by Chelsea's Levi Colwill moments before the challenge with Sanchez.
During the confusion, Neville provided insight into the VAR conversation, explaining: “What the VAR said was that Sanchez's contact with the ball deflected off Jones, and his left leg then kicked it forward. It was a messy situation, but VAR found there was enough contact with the ball to overturn the penalty."
Jamie Carragher added that Chelsea were fortunate in this situation, noting that while the penalty could have gone either way, modern football doesn’t allow for mere touches to negate fouls: “Ten years ago, a slight touch might have been enough. Today, taking someone out after that is still considered a foul. Chelsea were lucky."