The decision has sparked fury online, with supporters accusing officials of robbing Liverpool in a match already overshadowed by earlier controversies.
The game itself was a comfortable affair for Arne Slot’s side. Curtis Jones opened the scoring in the 42nd minute with a smart finish from Milos Kerkez’s cross, ending a personal goal drought. Dominik Szoboszlai doubled the lead shortly after halftime with a thunderous strike assisted by Mohamed Salah, before Salah himself sealed the win from the penalty spot in the 68th minute — a spot-kick he won after bursting past Ferdi Kadioglu and being clumsily brought down by Pascal Gross. The Egyptian converted emphatically into the top corner for his seventh goal of the campaign.
But amid the post-match glow, a separate incident has exploded into controversy. Late in the second half — with Liverpool already 3-0 up — a strong penalty shout arose when a Brighton defender appeared to handle the ball inside the box during a goalmouth scramble. Liverpool players, including Virgil van Dijk and Salah, appealed vociferously, and replays from TNT Sports broadcasts showed clear contact with an arm in an unnatural position. The on-field referee waved play on, and crucially, VAR stepped in (despite the FA Cup’s fourth round typically lacking full video assistance in some reports, but activated here per match coverage) — only to uphold the no-penalty decision in what fans are calling a baffling and inconsistent call.
Social media erupted immediately. Clips of the incident, zoomed in on the arm position and ball contact, have racked up millions of views. Fans flooded timelines with outrage: “How is that NOT a pen? Arm clearly in the way, unnatural position — VAR bottled it again!” one viral post read. Others pointed out the irony: “No VAR for Rio Ngumoha’s robbed goal earlier, but they find time to deny us a clear one? Standards are shocking.” Hashtags like #VARRobbery, #LiverpoolRobbed, and #FAExplainThis trended rapidly, with supporters sharing freeze-frames comparing the incident to similar calls given elsewhere this season.
The frustration is amplified by the earlier disallowed “goal” for 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha, whose curling effort was wrongly flagged offside (replays confirmed he was on). Without consistent VAR application in early rounds, fans argue the technology is being used selectively — or poorly — to the detriment of fairness. “VAR denies a clear penalty but couldn’t save a kid’s dream goal? Make it make sense,” one angry Kopite tweeted.
Brighton boss Fabian Hürzeler, in his post-match comments, defended his side but notably avoided direct criticism of the penalty award given to Liverpool earlier, focusing instead on his team’s missed chances. However, ex-referee Keith Hackett weighed in on punditry platforms, suggesting the non-penalty call was defensible but highlighting broader inconsistencies in handball interpretations this season.
For Liverpool, the result stands: progression to the fifth round secured with a dominant display. Slot praised his team’s control and clinical edge post-match, but the VAR drama has stolen headlines. Supporters are demanding answers from PGMOL and the FA on why such a blatant incident wasn’t overturned, especially in a high-profile tie.
This latest flashpoint adds fuel to the ongoing debate over VAR’s role in English football — particularly its patchy implementation in cup competitions. Was it a genuine error, or another example of “big club bias” claims? One thing’s certain: Anfield’s faithful won’t let this one go quietly. The Reds march on, but the anger lingers. 😡🚨⚽
What are your thoughts, — clear pen or fair call? Drop your take below!
