Liverpool head coach Arne Slot expressed his reservation about the offside rule that upheld Diogo Jota’s goal in Wednesday night’s Merseyside derby.
The Reds welcomed city rivals Everton to Anfield looking to re-establish their 12-point lead at the top of the Premier League table. Despite clearly being the better side, Liverpool were unable to find a breakthrough.
That breakthrough eventually came with 12 minutes of second half football, albeit with plenty of controversy. Ryan Gravenberch initiated another attack with a pass into Everton’s box.
Although Luis Diaz was in an offside position, he did not move toward the ball, allowing Toffees defender James Tarkowski to intercept it.
Jota quickly seized the loose ball, linked up with Diaz, who had by then moved back onside, and weaved his way through a cluster of falling blue shirts before calmly slotting the ball into the back of the net.
The goal, which proved to be the match winner, was allowed to stand with the game’s officials concluding that Diaz did not interfere with play while in an offside position.
Despite his team being on the favourable end of that decision, Slot revealed that he did not fancy the rule; “Do I like the rule? No, I don’t like the rule,” the Dutch boss began.
“It’s a rule that is not helping the team that wants to attack. Normally we go to the halfway line, they [the opposition] kick the ball long to a player who is in an offside position, and my centre-backs feel like they have to head the ball away.
“I always ask the linesman: ‘Was he offside?’ And they say: ‘No, he was not interfering.’ I hate that rule. But the execution of the rule was fortunately for us today, well done in that situation.”
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