Firmino’s ‘offside armpit’ almost denies Liverpool at Villa
Liverpool maintained their six-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League with a last-gasp win over Aston Villa on Saturday but came perilously close to being denied a result - by an offside armpit!
Liverpool’s Brazilian midfielder Roberto Firmino (R) scores past Aston Villa’s English goalkeeper Tom Heaton (L) but goal is disallowed during the English Premier League football match between Aston Villa and Liverpool at Villa Park in Birmingham, central England on November 2, 2019. (Photo by GEOFF CADDICK / AFP)
Jurgen Klopp’s side, who took all three points at Villa Park thanks to Sadio Mane’s 94th minute winner, were trailing to Trezeguet’s opener when Roberto Firmino thought he had tapped home the leveller seven minutes later.
However, the linesman raised his flag and a VAR check confirmed the decision to the rule the goal out, with the Premier League revealing that Firmino’s armpit “was marginally ahead of the last Villa defender”.
The decision looked like it would lead to Liverpool losing their first league match of the season, before Andy Robertson headed home an equaliser in the 87th minutes and Mane snatched the points deep in stoppage time.
For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.
For more news your way
Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.
