Fans are convinced that Chelsea should have been awarded a penalty in their recent Premier League match against Liverpool after a new angle of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s challenge on Jadon Sancho emerged.
The incident happened during Sunday’s game at Anfield, where Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea team was pushing for a top-three spot.
Controversy arose from a penalty awarded to Liverpool earlier in the game, when Chelsea defender Levi Colwill fouled Curtis Jones in the box. Mohamed Salah converted the penalty to give Liverpool a 1-0 lead.
However, Chelsea fans grew frustrated when Alexander-Arnold’s later challenge on Sancho went unpunished. During the second half, Alexander-Arnold tackled Sancho in the Liverpool penalty area.
Although the referee initially did not award a penalty, the incident was reviewed by VAR, but the decision stood, and no penalty was given, angering Chelsea supporters.
Fans took to social media to express their disbelief. One fan shared a different angle of the challenge and claimed, “VAR didn’t even check Trent’s foul on Sancho.”
Another fan used the term “LiVARpool” to suggest Liverpool often benefits from VAR decisions. Many fans compared this incident to the earlier penalty, arguing that if Colwill’s foul was given, so should Alexander-Arnold’s.
Despite the controversy, Chelsea equalized early in the second half through a goal by Nicolas Jackson. However, Liverpool quickly regained the lead three minutes later when Salah set up Jones to make it 2-1.
Pundits shared their views, with Leon Osman criticizing Chelsea’s defensive tactics on BBC Radio 5 Live, while Gary Neville praised Jones’ performance on Sky Sports, calling him Liverpool’s standout player.
Although Liverpool won the match, the penalty debate continues, with many Chelsea fans insisting they were unfairly denied a spot-kick.
The incident has reignited discussions about VAR’s consistency and its impact on crucial moments in high-stakes matches.
