Premier League issues two statements following Liverpool’s VAR reviews against Leicester City

Curtis Jones netted Liverpool’s second goal of the match, but had to wait for VAR to confirm it, following a disallowed strike from Cody Gakpo.

The Premier League has confirmed that Darwin Nunez was in an offside position when Gakpo’s potential second goal for Liverpool against Leicester City was ruled out at Anfield. Gakpo’s powerful shot into the net would have put Liverpool 3-1 up after coming from behind, but the goal was disallowed after a prolonged delay.

Assistant referee Matthew Wilks immediately raised his flag when Gakpo scored, but after reviewing the situation, it was determined that Mohamed Salah, whose cross was deflected to Gakpo, was onside. The next check focused on Nunez.

A statement from the Premier League Match Centre on X (formerly Twitter) read: “The referee’s call of no goal was checked and confirmed by the VAR as Nunez was in an offside position in the build-up.”

This was the second VAR intervention of the evening, as officials had previously reviewed Salah’s position during the build-up to Curtis Jones’ goal, which gave Liverpool the lead. Jones’ goal came just four minutes into the second half, but it also required a long wait for confirmation.

It was unclear exactly what the VAR officials at Stockley Park were reviewing. While Nunez was clearly offside, both Virgil van Dijk and Gakpo were also potentially in an offside position, though neither was interfering with play at that moment. The focus was on Salah, who initially appeared to be onside. Salah had passed to Alexis Mac Allister, who then crossed for Jones to score.

An earlier statement noted: “The referee’s call of goal was checked and confirmed by the VAR as Salah was in an onside position in the build-up.”

Liverpool had to fight hard to level the match against the struggling Foxes, who took the lead early on, with Jordan Ayew scoring inside the first four minutes. However, Gakpo’s curling shot from outside the box brought Liverpool back on level terms just before halftime, and Jones’ goal on his 100th Premier League appearance gave Liverpool the edge.

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Liverpool gets major update on contract negotiations with Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk

Liverpool awaits decisions from Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, and Trent Alexander-Arnold regarding their futures, but there is encouraging news for the former two.

Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah are reportedly “very likely” to sign new contracts with Liverpool. The two, along with Trent Alexander-Arnold, are approaching the end of their current contracts, which expire at the season’s conclusion. All three players have received offers to extend their stays, but no decisions have been made yet.

The coming week could be crucial, as the trio may begin negotiating pre-contract agreements with foreign clubs starting in January unless they commit to new deals before then.

Although a final decision before the year’s end seems increasingly unlikely, positive news has emerged regarding Van Dijk and Salah. Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth, speaking to GIVEMESPORT, stated that the pair are “very likely” to stay at Anfield.

Sheth also suggested that while Alexander-Arnold’s future remains uncertain, he has been less vocal about it compared to his teammates.

This update follows Van Dijk’s recent comments hinting at his desire to remain at Liverpool. Ahead of the Boxing Day match against Leicester, the captain told Amazon Prime: “I love the club, the club loves me. I love the fans, the fans love me and it is a very good foundation to be successful. In my opinion I can play for another three, four years at least at the highest level. We will see what the future brings.”

Liverpool.com notes that it has always seemed likely that Van Dijk and Salah would extend their contracts, while Alexander-Arnold might require more persuasion, particularly with the allure of Real Madrid. Hopefully, Sheth’s prediction holds true, and there will be no long wait for Van Dijk and Salah to sign new deals. With January just around the corner, it seems they might consider other offers, but the hope is they will ultimately remain with Liverpool.