Premier League respond to Liverpool handball controversy

The explanation might clarify the process, but it doesn’t necessarily make the outcome any easier to accept.

Former referee Keith Hackett has already pointed to the law itself, stating: “The law states that you cannot score a goal with your hand, even if considered accidental.”

That interpretation seems at odds with what we saw, particularly given the circumstances of the goal, with our third-choice goalkeeper inadvertently diverting the ball onto the hand of an attacker before it crossed the line.

At the same time, it’s fair to acknowledge that the goal didn’t come out of nowhere, because we put ourselves in a vulnerable position in the first place.

Jamie Carragher summed that up in his analysis, saying: “That goal… you talk about Liverpool’s season. They’ve been popping the ball about but they can’t cope with the counterattack.”

That balance is important, because while the decision feels like another one that’s gone against us, it also sits within a wider pattern of mistakes and moments we haven’t managed well enough.

Still, when the official explanation hinges on “no conclusive evidence” rather than confirming there was no contact, it’s understandable why many of us feel hard done to once again.