Arne Slot Criticises Offside Rule During Liverpool’s Victory Over Everton but Remains Silent on Tarkowski

Liverpool manager Arne Slot expressed his disagreement with the offside rule that allowed Diogo Jota’s goal to stand, leading to a 1-0 victory over Everton on Wednesday. However, he acknowledged that the correct decision was ultimately made.

Jota netted the solitary goal just before the hour mark at Anfield, enabling Liverpool to extend their lead to 12 points atop the Premier League standings.

Although Luis Diaz was initially in an offside position when James Tarkowski intercepted a pass intended for him, Diaz quickly capitalised on the subsequent loose ball, assisting Jota for his first goal since January.

Everton manager David Moyes expressed his disappointment at losing a derby due to what he deemed a “clearly offside goal.”

Nevertheless, Slot maintained that the officials made the right call, as the rules dictate that Diaz was onside because Tarkowski had deliberately played the ball.

“According to the rules, it wasn’t offside,” Slot stated. “Do I agree with the rule? No, I don’t like the rule. I abhor it, but credit to the officials for executing it correctly in that instance.”

This goal marked the second contentious decision of the match, following Tarkowski’s earlier challenge on Alexis Mac Allister, which resulted in only a yellow card despite its severity.

Referee Samuel Barrott opted not to consult VAR regarding his initial judgment on the incident, despite widespread discussion about it. Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville labelled the tackle a “leg breaker” during his commentary.

Moyes also conceded that Tarkowski was fortunate to stay on the pitch. “Having reviewed it, we could have easily been facing a red card,” he remarked. “It appeared quite high; the follow-through looked particularly bad.”