FANS are demanding answers after Liverpool were denied an easy goal by one of the most mystifying decisions of the season.
Some viewers even reckoned referee Anthony Taylor “knew he messed up” as they watched his actions after the bizarre incident, in a 2-2 draw at West Ham.
Referee Anthony Taylor waved play-on after West Ham keeper Alphonse Areola took a tumble claiming a high ball
Fans were left confused as Areola then appeared to present Liverpool with an open goal
Cody Gakpo spotted his opportunity to score after Areola rolled the ball away
Gakpo couldn’t believe it when referee Anthony Taylor blew his whistle
The controversy began when home keeper Alphonse Areola tumbled to the ground after gathering a high ball under pressure.
Taylor immediately waved play on – as he raised his arm and jogged away.
Areola was then helped up by two players, with the ball still in his hands.
But what the French keeper did next left everybody in the London Stadium scratching their heads.
Areola rolled the ball in front of him as though to take a free kick, defying the expectation of players on both sides for him to pass to a teammate or punt the ball upfield.
The ball was already yards away from the stopper, who even knelt to fix his socks.
Attacker Cody Gakpo of the Reds saw his unexpected opportunity and raced back into the zone to regain possession.
But it was then that the watching Taylor finally blew his whistle to stop an incredulous Gakpo from scoring a certain goal.
Next, Taylor strode back to Areola, put his hand on the keeper and appeared to convince him to call for West Ham’s physio to come on.
The French keeper at first appeared to suggest he was fine, before stretching his leg as if in pain and accepting the offer of treatment.
Fans were puzzled by this exchange between Taylor and Areola after the referee halted play to call on the physio
The keeper suddenly goes down and Taylor waves towards the medical staff to help out Areola.
And the whole incident left everybody watching on baffled, with many taking to social media.
One fan went back to the start of the matter as he wrote: “He (Taylor) actually motions for the keeper to get up – makes it even worse.”
Another said: “Didn’t hear a whistle, ref just botched it. Classic Taylor messing up when it actually matters, smh.”
A third argued: “Taylor only called the physio on because he knows he f up.”
And a fourth hit out: “Like to see them explain this one!”
Another fan was equally curious over the end of the incident.
He wrote: “Want to hear what Taylor said to the keeper for the keeper to go from pulling his socks up to being injured.”
But a few viewers suggested the ideal response from Liverpool’s Dutch raider would have been to slot the ball home to see if VAR intervened.
Such verdicts included: “Gakpo should have just put the ball in the net. Worst case scenario he would have been booked, but the goal could have stood.”