Kostas Tsimikas and Diogo Jota made an immediate impact after coming on in the 65th minute during Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest last night.
In just 22 seconds, the pair combined for the equalizer. However, new footage of the goal’s buildup has raised questions about its legitimacy.
Chris Wood had put Forest ahead early, scoring in the 8th minute against the run of play, much to the delight of the home crowd.
Meanwhile, Liverpool struggled to break down Forest’s defense, with their first shot on target coming only in the 60th minute. It seemed as though Forest might complete a league double over Liverpool after their earlier 1-0 win at Anfield.
The game took a turn when Jota, unmarked at a corner, scored the equalizer. Despite a late push from Liverpool, the game ended in a draw, with Forest holding onto a point thanks to a key goal-line clearance from Ola Aina.
This result leaves Forest six points behind the Premier League leaders. But was the equalizer legitimate? Former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee Keith Hackett has weighed in.
Hackett shared his thoughts after footage circulated on social media, showing Cody Gakpo seemingly backing into goalkeeper Matz Sels just before Jota’s header.
Some fans felt this may have impeded Sels, which in the past has led to goals being disallowed. Hackett, however, believes the goal was valid, stating there was little chance of VAR intervention, despite questioning the fairness of the tactic used by the attacking team.
Hackett explained: “One of the ‘dark arts’ in modern football is how attacking teams position players near the goalkeeper. No one owns space on the field, but goalkeeping coaches should find a way to counter this tactic.
After reviewing the footage, I don’t think VAR would have intervened. The goalkeeper should have done more to challenge for the ball — it’s a good goal.”
Jota’s goal ensured Liverpool and Nottingham Forest shared the points, with Liverpool staying six points clear at the top of the Premier League. Arsenal, who hope to close the gap, will face Tottenham on Wednesday at the Emirates Stadium.
