Manchester City 3-0 victory against Liverpool — is one of the most entertaining fixtures of the Premier League weekend. It was, however, overshadowed by a major refereeing controversy involving Chris Kavanagh.
The high-stakes encounter at the Etihad, seen by both clubs as a chance to tighten the title race after Arsenal dropped points, quickly became the centre of debate for fans and pundits alike.
Earlier in the weekend, Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with Sunderland — sealed by Brian Brobbey’s dramatic equaliser — had left the title door slightly open.
City entered the match seven points behind the Gunners, with Liverpool a further point back, setting up a fierce battle between two of England’s modern rivals.
From the opening minutes, the game lived up to its billing for intensity, but the key talking point arrived when Jeremy Doku went down in the Liverpool box after what appeared to be slight contact from goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.
Kavanagh initially ignored City’s appeals for a penalty, gesturing for play to continue.
Moments later, VAR intervened, and after reviewing the footage on the pitchside monitor, Kavanagh changed his decision.
“After review, the goalkeeper commits a foul challenge on the attacker, the final decision is penalty,” the referee explained.
The decision immediately divided opinion across the football world, with former referees and analysts voicing concerns over the use of VAR and the threshold for contact in such situations.
Ex-Referee chief: ‘no foul, no offence’
Former FIFA referee and ex-PGMOL boss Keith Hackett was among the most vocal critics of Kavanagh’s call.
Speaking to Football Insider, Hackett did not mince words, describing the decision as completely wrong.
“A really poor decision – there is no foul, therefore no offence. Not a penalty kick. Poor decision by the match officials,” Hackett said.
His remarks reignited the ongoing debate about consistency in officiating and VAR intervention in the Premier League.
Critics argue that such decisions undermine the spirit of the game, particularly in high-profile fixtures where even minor calls can alter the course of a title race.
While justice appeared to balance itself out — Erling Haaland saw his penalty saved — the incident left both sets of fans questioning the standard of officiating.
Despite that early setback, Haaland went on to redeem himself with a trademark glancing header later in the match.
Liverpool, already reeling from their midweek struggles, were punished further when Nico Gonzalez fired home a superb strike from distance, putting City in firm control.
As Arne Slot’s side pushed forward in the second half, they were hit again — this time by a stunning effort from Doku, who capped off his brilliant performance with an unstoppable drive into the top corner.
The Manchester City 3-0 victory against Liverpool moved the Sky Blues to four points behind leaders Arsenal, keeping Pep Guardiola’s men well in contention for another league crown.
But for Liverpool, the defeat represented a significant setback. The loss left them eight points adrift of the top, a gap that now looks increasingly difficult to close as the season moves toward its decisive months.
For many observers, however, the game will be remembered less for City’s clinical finishing and more for the officiating controversy that dominated post-match discussions.
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Hackett’s remarks carry weight, given his years overseeing referees at both domestic and international levels.
His criticism highlights growing frustration over how VAR is applied, especially in matches involving the Premier League’s biggest clubs.
Supporters and pundits alike have called for clearer guidelines to determine when VAR should intervene and what constitutes “clear and obvious” errors.
Though Kavanagh followed protocol by consulting the video footage, Hackett’s stance suggests that the technology was misapplied — that the minimal contact between Mamardashvili and Doku did not warrant a reversal of the original on-field decision.
As the debate continues, City will feel relieved that the controversial moment did not ultimately cost them.
