Premier League officials and VAR are annoying enough; they might cost Liverpool the title.

In the Christmas edition of his monthly Liverpool column, John Aldridge discusses the 1-1 draw with Arsenal on Saturday and looks ahead to today’s match against Burnley.

The weekly officiating standards we witness in the Premier League have me really concerned.

It’s beyond comprehension how Martin Odegaard’s handball against Liverpool on Saturday night went unnoticed. How in the world could referee Chris Kavanagh miss that when I could see it from high up in the stands while providing game commentary? It was blatantly obvious.

Being on VAR, David Coote decided it wasn’t worth sending Kavanagh to the pitchside monitor for. Honestly, it just defies comprehension. Coote has caused us problems in the past, most notably when Jordan Pickford ended Virgil van Dijk’s season while he was using VAR and didn’t even receive a yellow card.

Even though this was the easiest choice Coote would have to make all season, he still made the incorrect choice. Odegaard’s hand is now in the ball’s direction. That is definitely a foul if it was outside the box. What makes it different from anywhere else on the pitch if it’s in the penalty area?

It seemed strange since it was played down on television and not given the same level of scrutiny as many decisions. It is shambolic in its poverty. The fact that VAR failed to identify it is inexplicable.

When Odegaard saw Salah advancing past him with the ball, he became alarmed, and we all followed suit. Though it is a ridiculous call that cannot be ignored, this shouldn’t overshadow what was a fantastic game. After this, Coote need to be off duty for two weeks since you never know what impact this might have in the future.

We might end up second in the league or first depending on this incorrect call. After the scandal with Luis Diaz’s disallowed goal against Tottenham Hotspur, we now have to deal with another shameful judgement. When will this be over? In the event that it’s a tie, you can understand. But what has Coote observed that has prevented him from reporting it, given that it was an obvious penalty?

Moving past VAR, Arsenal deserves some credit for at least creating a fun game. They had a purpose when they came to Anfield, unlike Manchester United, and they should be pleased with how they played. Under their boss, they are developing as a team, and it is evident how much they have changed.

More than anything else, our draw with Arsenal was a fantastic outcome for Manchester City. After seeing how that turned out, they will have been thrilled and will now be looking forward to our and Arsenal’s pursuit. Without a doubt, once De Bruyne is healthy, they will return with a fight.

We poured forward in the second half and Trent Alexander-Arnold had a chance to win the game for us when he struck the crossbar. It was unfortunate that he did not receive a true pass. A striker in that position would guide the ball and allow it to leave their foot. Trent aimed for power, which is why it only went a little bit high, but his effort and rushing to claim the spot demonstrated how important it was to him. Once again, he was among the top players on the pitch because of his immense influence. It was absurd how he assisted Salah in scoring.

Injuries beginning to bite

It was devastating to lose Kostas Tsimikas on Saturday night; he had made an impression without Andy Robertson. It was an awful injury. Our current lack of a healthy senior left-back is a serious concern. It’s a waiting game till Robertson returns, which should happen at least next month, which will be fantastic.

Joe Gomez is someone we absolutely need to keep healthy because if we lose him, we’ll have a serious issue. Gomez is the epitome of versatility; he can play centre back, right back, and left back. He is a huge addition to the squad because of this. He’ll probably have to cover for Tsimikas at left back. James Milner is no longer in the picture, thus others will have to fill in as needed.

Jota and Robertson must be on the verge of returning, as must Alexis Mac Allister. We are unaware of Bajcetic, and I’m beginning to lose hope in Thiago because I have no idea what has transpired there. I’m praying Luis Diaz’s injury is not too severe. It would be horrible to lose him for an extended period of time once more.

Liverpool’s next opponent is Burnley later this afternoon, and they will be fierce after winning convincingly against Fulham on Saturday.