Liverpool handed new referee verdict after late drama in Crystal Palace game

Liverpool's dramatic late equalizer that nearly rescued a Premier League point during Saturday's thrilling defeat to Crystal Palace in London ought to have been disallowed.

That's the verdict of Keith Hackett, the former chief of refereeing organisation PGMOL. The Reds had been chasing a leveller to Ismaila Sarr's opener for much of the encounter at Selhurst Park. They eventually found it in the 87th minute when Federico Chiesa pounced fastest inside the box after a deflection fell kindly into his path.

Nevertheless, Hackett firmly contends the strike should have been ruled out due to an apparent handball by Mohamed Salah during the build-up.

Official Chris Kavanagh opted not to overturn Liverpool's goal.

His video assistant referee (VAR), Matt Donodue, examined the replays but chose not to intervene further.

"It is difficult to understand when you see on video replay the deliberate handball from Salah, who has made his body shape larger, reaching out to the sky," Hackett said, speaking to Football Insider.

"There is a relationship problem, or a technical problem, because the video evidence is clear and obvious that a handball incident took place.

"It should be penalized. Full stop."

With Chiesa's strike permitted to stand, it paved the way for Palace's dramatic winner.

Eddie Nketiah found himself perfectly positioned and struck past Alisson unopposed in the 97th minute.

This result abruptly halted Liverpool's five-match winning run at the start of the 2025-26 season, reducing the team's lead in the Premier League standings.

However, if the decision had gone as Hackett suggests it should have, the final three minutes of regular time and the added stoppage time would have played out differently.

Maybe the Reds could have found another way to score without a response, or perhaps their opponents might have sealed their win beyond doubt.

Arsenal's dramatic 2-1 victory at Newcastle on Sunday means Liverpool's lead over the Gunners in the title race is just two points.

Liverpool's next game is against Galatasaray in the Champions League on Tuesday

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