The Premier League has explained why Liverpool’s Diogo Jota did not receive a yellow card for diving after a penalty decision was overturned by VAR during the second half at Anfield.
With Liverpool leading 2-0 against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Jota went down following a challenge from Emmanuel Agbadou, causing concern among Wolves fans. Referee Simon Hooper initially awarded a penalty, but VAR official John Brooks advised him to review the incident on the pitchside monitor.
Video replays revealed that although Agbadou made a lunge, the contact was not sufficient to warrant a foul, leading Hooper to reverse his decision. However, instead of awarding a free kick to Wolves and booking Jota for simulation, Hooper chose to restart the game with a drop ball, which puzzled some Wolves players.
In a statement on X, the Premier League’s Match Centre clarified: “VAR checked the referee’s decision to award a penalty to Liverpool for Agbadou’s challenge on Jota and determined that any contact was not caused by Agbadou. Therefore, an on-field review was recommended. The referee overturned his original decision, and play resumed with a drop ball.”
This suggests that the contact was considered too minor to justify a penalty but significant enough to explain Jota’s fall.
The incident proved pivotal as Wolves scored soon after, with Matheus Cunha curling a shot to reduce the deficit following goals from Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah. A defeat at Anfield would leave Wolves just two points above the relegation zone.
