In a heated encounter at Craven Cottage, Liverpool suffered a stunning 3-2 defeat to Fulham — but the real controversy lies not in the scoreline, but in the officiating that’s ignited fury across the football world.
The flashpoint arrived in the 78th minute with the game finely balanced at 2-2. Darwin Núñez surged into the penalty area, only to be clearly tripped from behind by Fulham’s Issa Diop. As Núñez hit the ground, a penalty seemed inevitable. But shockingly, the referee waved play on — and even more baffling, VAR chose not to intervene.
Replays left little doubt: Diop made no contact with the ball and clipped Núñez’s ankle. Former referee Dermot Gallagher summed up the widespread disbelief: “That’s a stonewall penalty. There’s no excuse for missing that.”
Jürgen Klopp was visibly frustrated after the match, saying, “If that’s not a penalty, then what is? We’re not just playing the other team — we’re up against decisions that defy logic.”
Online, the reaction was explosive:
- “This is corruption at its peak,” one user raged.
- “VAR is destroying the game. Why even have it?” another questioned.
- Calls for accountability echoed across platforms, with #JusticeForLiverpool and #VAROut trending within minutes.
With Champions League spots on the line, every decision counts — and this one could have major implications for Liverpool’s season. The pressure is now on the FA to review the incident and restore some trust in the system.
Will there be consequences for the officials involved, or will this go down as just another chapter in Liverpool’s battle with controversial decisions? Fans aren’t willing to stay silent anymore — and neither is the club.
