Referee and VAR audio on the Alisson penalty vs Nottingham Forest
The Premier League Match Centre released the on-field communication after referee Sam Barrott awarded Nottingham Forest a penalty in the 69th minute of their 2-2 draw at Anfield.
With the score level at 1-1, Neco Williams went down under a challenge from Alisson Becker. Barrott pointed to the spot immediately. VAR checked the decision and confirmed it.
The exchange:
- Barrott: “For me, he comes out and doesn’t play the ball when he clears the player out. He doesn’t play the ball.”
- VAR: “Alisson’s right hand on his left foot. Clear contact by Alisson. Confirming the on-field decision of penalty, check complete.”
Morgan Gibbs-White converted the penalty to put Forest 2-1 up. Victor Muñoz later equalised for Liverpool.
Reaction and debate
Alisson looked stunned. Replays showed limited contact. On Soccer Saturday, Clinton Morrison called it harsh: “I just thought it was a shot going wide… I don’t think there’s a lot of contact. There’s nothing he can do. He’s coming out to get the ball.”
Former referee Mike Dean described it as a “coming together” and said Alisson had little alternative, but noted it was never likely to be overturned because it did not meet the “clear and obvious error” threshold.
The decision remains debatable. Alisson was committed to the ball; any contact with Williams was slight. Had the same incident occurred at the other end, most Liverpool fans would have demanded a penalty. Still, the soft nature of the call left the home side frustrated on a day when a home draw felt like two points dropped.
Liverpool will need to focus more on their own performance than the officials. The result continues a difficult start to the season.
