Matt Beard rightly vented his frustrations towards the officials after Liverpool Women fell to a 1-0 defeat at Everton, decided by a penalty for a foul that was outside the box.
Liverpool have the right to feel that they had the game taken away from them at Goodison Park after a penalty was wrongly awarded.
Fuka Nagano fouled Honoka Hayashi very clearly outside of the penalty box, and yet referee Abigail Byrne immediately pointed to the spot with no correction from the assistant.
VAR is not in use in the Women’s Super League.
Katja Snoeijs converted and the Reds were unable to see their dominance reflected on the scoreboard, leaving Beard incredibly frustrated after the defeat.
“It changes the complete complexity of the game,” the Liverpool manager told reporters on the penalty decision.
Everton Women were given a penalty for this against LFC Women today ? pic.twitter.com/0TmZPuhMyM
— This Is Anfield (@thisisanfield) November 17, 2024
“You’ve got the official, the assistant referee and the fourth official all with unblocked views. Even I saw the contact was about a yard outside the box.
“I just give up with it because it happens every week. Not just with us. Look at the start of the game. The first throw-in should have been an Everton throw, but we get given it.”
He added: “I don’t know whether they [the officials] don’t like me personally, I don’t know, and whether that has an effect on my team. It could do.
“I’ve been booked for things this year when I’ve seen other managers do a lot worse and get away with it.
“How it gets given as a penalty is beyond me” ?
Our panel are in agreement that Everton should not have been awarded a penalty. pic.twitter.com/NWvtVMGfEU
— Sky Sports WSL (@SkySportsWSL) November 17, 2024
“I just feel we’ve been let down by the officials. I feel we should have had two penalties, and we’ve had one given against us that wasn’t a penalty.
“Ultimately, those decisions have cost us either a point or potentially three points.”
Asked if this was another decision that necessitates the introduction of VAR, Beard said: “The money is not there for VAR.
“We need to get the officials right. I don’t know what the answer is, to be honest with you. I think every manager feels the same every week.”
The defeat leaves Liverpool in sixth spot on nine points, 12 behind early leaders Chelsea after eight games.
