Marcos Senesi managed to avoid caution after what fans dubbed ‘the most blatant handball’ early on as Bournemouth took on Liverpool.
After a heartfelt tribute to the Diogo Jota before kick-off, the Premier League season finally got underway at Anfield on Friday evening.
And it took just 14 minutes for VAR to become the centre of supporters’ attention once again as Cherries centre-half Senesi seemed to deny Hugo Ekitike a goalscoring opportunity with a deliberate handball.
The incident occurred as Liverpool broke away following a Bournemouth corner, with Mo Salah volleying a through ball towards Ekitike.
But with the French No 22 bound to be clean through on goal, Senesi – after attempting to bring the ball down with his knee – made what looked like a blatant attempt to stop the ball falling into Ekitike’s path.
As the striker, Virgil van Dijk and co pleaded with referee Anthony Taylor to send the Argentine off, the decision was sent to Stockley Park and the fixture’s VAR officials.
Liverpool players were left aggrieved after Marcos Senesi seemingly handled the ball as Hugo Ekitike was through on goal
However after deliberation, VAR ruled that the handball was accidental as the defender was not in control of the ball
However after deliberation, officials deemed the handball to be accidental – a decision which commentator Jamie Carragher strongly disagreed with.
The former Liverpool defender argued: ‘The Bournemouth defender handled the ball.
‘That’s handball. I mean he knows exactly what he’s doing with his hand.
‘It’s just a reaction as a defender, but that’s handball.’
While later, during his half-time analysis, Carragher argued VAR made their decision ‘too quickly’.
‘I don’t want people getting sent off and if they feel that later on they’ve changed their mind then that’s fine. But they’ve got to the decision far too quickly,’ he said.
‘The VAR was telling the referee as the replay was coming in, it was too quick. There’s no doubt they’ve changed what they said initially, which was that it was a double hit.
‘As you can see from the replay, it was a blatant handball.’
It was a sentiment echoed by Liverpool supporters on social media, who dubbed VAR a ‘laughing stock’ for failing to dismiss Senesi.
Ekitike nevertheless scored his first league goal for the Reds later in the first half
A host of Liverpool fans took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express their disillusionment at the decision
They posted: ‘PGMOL an absolute laughing stock just 13 minutes into the new Premier League season as a blatant handball and red card ignored by VAR, despite the whole world watching Bournemouth’s Senesi deliberately deny Ekitike and Liverpool a chance to score.’
‘Beggars belief this hasn’t been given for handball. Senesi playing the wrong sport here. Liverpool rightfully aggrieved,’ another wrote.
While one more fan argued: ’15 minutes into the new season and already one of the worst refereeing decisions you could think of! Senesi getting away with playing basketball!’,
‘How has Anthony Taylor missed that??? Blatant handball from Senesi. Ekitike would’ve been through’, argued another.
While one frustrated supporter posted: ‘THAT WAS ONE OF THE MOST BLATANT HANDBALL YOU WILL EVER SEE. HOW DID THEY NOT SEE THIS’.
Ekitike, making his league debut, nevertheless fired home later in the first half to open his account for the Reds in the Premier League.
The Frenchman paid tribute to Diogo Jota as he celebrated, holding up the number 20 with his hands – the number which the Portuguese striker wore at Anfield.
