Liverpool Vs Napoli: Fans furious after VAR allows Dries Mertens’ goal even though Virgil Van Dijk was allegedly fouled by the former.
Napoli would go down as the first team in the season to defeat Liverpool at the Anfield in this season if the scoreline of 1-0 remains the same or get better for the Italians.
However, the sole goal in the game so far is full of controversy as Liverpool fans are furious after Virgil Van Dijk was allegedly fouled by Dries Mertens in the build-up of the goal.
And even though VAR examined the situation, it eventually validated the legitimacy of the goal. While Mertens and Van Dijk were vying for the aerial ball, the Belgian accidentally hit Van Dijk on foot, which was not even clear on camera.
The Liverpool defender limped in pain which gave Mertens ample space to drive the ball ahead and in the end, he beat Alisson Becker to give an advantage to his side.
The goal was given a clearance by VAR but Liverpool fans are furious at the officials as they believe that Mertens should have been punished and the game should have been stopped.
Many have accused the Belgian International of deliberately hurting Van Dijk and not doing it by mistake. Nevertheless, the goal stood and the Reds now trail.
That’s ONE MILLION % a foul. Mertens eyes were on Van Dijk and not once on the ball.
— – (@AnfieldRd96) November 27, 2019
https://twitter.com/SamueILFC/status/1199793396811997185?s=20
As utter shit as we've been, I still can't fucking believe that VAR watched Mertens looking at Van Dijk, not jumping for the ball, elbowing him in the guts as Virgil won it, then scoring, and decided that was a perfectly acceptable goal.
Shocking.
— Jimmy Hell (@PlayersTrombone) November 27, 2019
In response, even Napoli fans did not stay behind and surfaced the footage of the challenge made by Van Dijk on Mertens in the last season’s tie over where Mertens’ leg could have been broken if Van Dijk’s challenge had gone wrong.
#VanDijk tackle on #Mertens pic.twitter.com/h0NalfMl33
— Football Foresight (@FutForesight) December 11, 2018
Mertens: opens his mouth and says “their is nothing special about the ‘This is Anfield’ sign”
Van Dijk: Hold my beer pic.twitter.com/H1wWKKjysY
— D'shay (@dshay_is_real) December 11, 2018
With another half to go, the Reds can certainly make a comeback in the game. On the other side, Napoli has also been solid at the back, which is giving a hard time to Jurgen Klopp’s men.