Gary Neville is on the same page as Arne Slot over the Premier League rule that allowed Liverpool’s Merseyside derby winner against Everton to stand.
The Reds took another big step towards winning the title on Wednesday as Diogo Jota scored the only goal of the game at Anfield. However, Everton felt it should not have stood as Luis Diaz was seemingly offside in the build up.
While Diaz was not involved in the phase of play, his presence forced James Tarkowski to try and intercept the ball. Liverpool duly capitalized and speaking after the game, Slot expressed a hint of sympathy towards Everton.
“Do I like the rule? No, I don’t like it. 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, well done in that situation.”
Former Manchester United captain Neville also addressed the incident after the game from a defender’s perspective and echoed Slot’s comments. He said on Sky Sports” “I don’t like that one. I am going to whinge about it.
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“It has nothing to do with the referee’s decision because it is the rule but Tarkowski has to intercept the ball because Diaz is in an offside position. As a defender, you have pushed up and played your man offside. Liverpool scores from that and I think it is a definite offside. I know it’s not in the rules but to me it is.
“It is like when a goal is scored and there is a player stood in front of the goalkeeper. That is offside because he is interfering with play. I think that Diaz is definitely interfering because Tarkowski has had to stretch. I have got real sympathy with defenders.”
On the match-winning incident, Everton boss David Moyes added: “I think it’s quite an easy one to give. All our players are holding the 18-yard line and Diaz has come from behind and affects Tarky from behind.
“I don’t think there’s many managers who come here and think they get loads of decisions at Anfield. I wasn’t sure how well the linesmen have done their jobs tonight. There were early flags, late flags, I didn’t think they’ve done particularly well.”
