Liverpool manager Arne Slot did not dwell on his side’s controversial penalty against Southampton on Sunday afternoon, correcting the decision as “black and white”.
Dominik Szoboszlai fired the Reds ahead Half an hour into their trip to the south coast, but the struggling hosts hit back before the break. Tyler Dibling led a surge on 40 minutes before being hacked down by Andy Robertson on the edge of the penalty area.
On-field referee Sam Barrott immediately pointed to the spot, but replays of the incident suggested contact may have been made outside the area. The Premier League explained later that the VAR had no authority to intervene in the debate as no conclusive angle to the incident could be found.
Adam Armstrong had his initial penalty effort saved by Caoimhin Kelleher before converting the rebound. Mateus Fernandes fired Southampton ahead after the break but Liverpool hit back. powered by Mohamed Salah a seemingly endless supply of targets.
When asked about a decision that prompted widespread consternation Among Liverpool’s fan base, Slot told the assembled media: “Usually sometimes you could have made a different decision or not, but for me with the offsides and deciding whether a ball is in or out, that it’s just black and white.
“It was a foul, that was clear, so if they saw it was in then yes, it’s a penalty. Sometimes with a knock, yes or no, or red card, yes or no. There was also an incident in the first half where you could argue whether it’s a red card, yes or no, things that can be argued, but offside and inside or outside the 18 yard area is something that can’t be argued “.
The red card incident Slot referred to involved a first Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana. The veteran playmaker got over the ball as he tried to break out of Southampton’s crowded defensive third in the first half, launching himself into a reckless challenge on Ryan Gravenberch. The referee only showed a yellow card, which was not improved by the VAR.
