The incident involved the Liverpool captain and Fulham’s Rodrigo Muniz, with the home side’s appeals for a penalty waved away by referee Anthony Taylor. VAR reviewed the decision but upheld the on-field call, sparking outrage among Fulham fans and players, while Liverpool went on to take the lead through a stunning Alexis Mac Allister strike—only to ultimately lose 3-2 in a dramatic first half that saw Fulham score three goals in 14 minutes.
The fifth-minute incident began when Fulham’s Andreas Pereira dispossessed Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate in a dangerous area near the Reds’ penalty box. Pereira squared the ball to Muniz, but Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher rushed out, appearing to collide with Pereira. As Muniz attempted to latch onto the loose ball, van Dijk came charging in with a robust challenge, making contact with the Fulham striker in what many viewed as a reckless body check. Muniz went down, and Fulham players immediately appealed for a penalty, but Taylor dismissed the claims. The Premier League Match Centre later explained the decision via a post on X at 06:16 PDT: the referee’s call of no penalty was confirmed by VAR, with Kelleher’s challenge on Pereira deemed a “coming together and not a reckless action,” while the incident between van Dijk and Muniz was also cleared.
The decision drew sharp criticism from fans and pundits alike. Former Premier League striker Clinton Morrison, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, noted that Liverpool were “very fortunate,” highlighting Konate’s sloppy play and the subsequent chaos in the box. On Sky Sports, Jamie Carragher expressed disbelief, arguing that VAR failed to properly assess Kelleher’s challenge on Pereira, focusing instead solely on van Dijk’s involvement. “How is that not a penalty for Fulham? The keeper cleans out Pereira and it’s not even checked properly by VAR,” Carragher fumed. Fulham fans on X echoed this sentiment, with one user calling it “absolute nonsense,” arguing that Kelleher’s mistimed challenge on Pereira’s legs constituted a clear foul, while another labeled van Dijk’s body check as a penalty-worthy offense, stating, “Any defender clearing out an attacker like that would be a pen.”
The controversy added fuel to ongoing claims of preferential treatment toward van Dijk, a narrative that has gained traction among opposition supporters. A Telegraph Sport analysis on the same day revisited seven incidents where van Dijk allegedly escaped punishment, including a shoulder barge on Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon in December 2024 and a stamp on Tottenham’s Dominic Solanke in January 2025. Former referee Keith Hackett, quoted in the piece, called van Dijk a “serial offender,” arguing that his challenge on Muniz warranted a penalty: “He has no chance of getting the ball, turns his back, and effectively blocks Muniz… this was in the box, it is a penalty kick.” Hackett also criticized Kelleher’s challenge on Pereira as a missed penalty call, amplifying Fulham manager Marco Silva’s visible frustration on the sidelines.
Liverpool’s reprieve proved temporary. After Mac Allister’s long-range strike gave them the lead, Fulham roared back with goals from Ryan Sessegnon, Alex Iwobi, and Muniz, capitalizing on defensive errors—including a poor pass from Andy Robertson, which Carragher called out as “such a poor pass from a player of his quality.” The 3-2 defeat marked Liverpool’s second Premier League loss of the season, denting their title charge despite their 12-point lead. For Fulham, the result was a statement of their European ambitions, but the early non-penalty call left a bitter taste. Silva, speaking post-match to BBC Sport, refrained from directly criticizing the officials but noted, “We deserved more from that moment—it changes the game.”
This incident adds to a growing list of VAR controversies this season, with van Dijk often at the center. While Liverpool fans celebrated their captain’s resilience, opposition supporters pointed to a pattern of leniency, with one X post at 07:38 PDT claiming van Dijk also got away with a “deliberate elbow” later in the match before Luis Diaz scored—though Liverpool’s eventual loss rendered that point moot. As the Premier League continues to grapple with officiating consistency, this fifth-minute flashpoint at Craven Cottage will likely remain a talking point, raising questions about whether van Dijk’s reputation as the world’s best center-back influences refereeing decisions, consciously or otherwise. For now, Fulham can take solace in their victory, but the debate over VAR’s role in such moments shows no sign of abating.
