Referee and VAR explain controversial penalty decision in Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest
The conversation between referee Sam Barrott and VAR regarding the controversial penalty awarded to Nottingham Forest during their 2-2 draw with Liverpool at Anfield has now been revealed.
With the score tied at 1-1 in the 69th minute, Neco Williams went down inside Liverpool’s penalty area following a challenge from Alisson Becker. Barrott immediately awarded Forest a spot-kick.
Alisson was visibly frustrated by the decision, but VAR reviewed the incident and decided that the referee’s original call should stand. Morgan Gibbs-White converted the penalty to put Forest back in front, before Victor Munoz scored a late equaliser for Liverpool.
What did the referee and VAR say?
The Premier League Match Centre released the exchange between Barrott and VAR, confirming that the penalty decision had been checked and upheld.
Barrott explained that Alisson had come out to challenge Williams without making contact with the ball, saying he had effectively taken the Forest player out.
VAR then reviewed the footage and concluded that Alisson’s right hand had made contact with Williams’ left foot, describing the contact as clear enough to confirm the on-field penalty decision.
However, Sky Sports pundit Clinton Morrison disagreed with the call, describing it as harsh. He argued that Williams’ effort appeared to be heading wide and felt Alisson was simply attempting to come out and collect the ball, with very little contact between the two players.
The decision remains one of the major talking points from a frustrating afternoon for Liverpool, with many Reds players clearly unhappy when the penalty was awarded.
Former Premier League referee Mike Dean also felt the incident was debatable, suggesting there was little Alisson could have done and describing it more as a coming together. However, he acknowledged that the decision was unlikely to be overturned because it did not meet the threshold of a clear and obvious VAR error.
Ultimately, opinions remain divided over whether Alisson should have been penalised. While the contact was minimal, any contact that prevents an opponent from continuing can technically result in a foul.
For Liverpool, though, the penalty was only part of the problem. Iraola’s side will need to look closely at their overall performance after dropping two points at home, particularly after allowing Forest to score twice.
The Reds were also fortunate at times, with Jeremy Jacquet producing an important early block and Alisson making an excellent save shortly before half-time.
In the end, Liverpool will be frustrated by the penalty decision, but their defensive performance and failure to secure all three points at Anfield remain bigger concerns.
