8 months ago
164 Liverpool and Manchester City played out a pulsating clash at Anfield this afternoon as the Premier League showed its quality.
Both clubs, led by their energetic and enigmatic managers Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp, delivered on the big stage in what was one of the highest quality games of the season.
It was City, though, who got the lead as they started the game well. A clever corner from Kevin de Bruyne was finished off at the near post by John Stones. It was clearly something they’d worked on on the training ground, as Nathan Ake played his part in appearing to hold off Alexis Mac Allister.
However, while Ake’s involvement was checked by VAR, former referee Mike Dean actually picked up on the fact Mac Allister himself was pulling Ake, resulting in there just being no way a foul could have been given against the City man.
“When you see it from behind the goal Alexis Mac Allister is pulling Nathan Ake towards himself, there is nothing wrong with the goal – it’s a clever corner from Man City,” Dean said (BBC)
Of course, £35m signing Mac Allister redeemed himself by tucking away a fine penalty just after half-time.
Liverpool v Manchester City full of talking points
Most of the time, the comments from ex refs seem to get a bit of a stick from fans. However, with Dean’s observation here, you have to say he makes a good point.
At the time, it looked like Nathan Ake had indeed used his body to move Mac Allister out of the way, and in a way, he did do that.
But Mac Allister was also clearly grabbing Ake as well and that is why VAR didn’t intervene at all.
Fine details are often unnoticed to the untrained eye but Dean has shown his experience here and immediately picked up on something most fans probably missed.
The post 'When you see it': Mike Dean says £35m Liverpool player did something nobody noticed against Man City appeared first on TBR Football.
