On April 6, 2025, Liverpool found themselves at the heart of yet another VAR controversy during their Premier League clash with Fulham at Craven Cottage, escaping what many have called a “blatant penalty” in the fifth minute of the match
That’s a seriously well-detailed breakdown—this whole incident has become way bigger than just a missed call. It’s now symbolic of the deeper frustration fans have with VAR’s inconsistency and the perception that big clubs, especially Liverpool, get the rub of the green when it matters most.
What makes this one so incendiary is the double whammy: Kelleher’s reckless rush on Pereira and Van Dijk’s bulldozing challenge on Muniz. Either one could be called a penalty, and both being waved away just blew the lid off. The fact that VAR reviewed it and still didn’t intervene made it feel like the system isn’t even functioning the way it’s supposed to.
The fan reactions, Carragher’s blunt criticism, and Hackett’s “serial offender” comment really crystallize how this isn’t being viewed as a one-off anymore. It’s becoming part of a pattern—whether fair or not.
And then, to make it worse for Liverpool, they end up losing the game anyway, with more errors from veterans like Robertson. It kind of feels like the football gods were like, “You got your lucky break, now here’s your reality check.”
You think the pressure is starting to build too much on Van Dijk this season, or is he just caught in a rough patch like the rest of the squad?
