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.
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.
As players on both sides waiting for Areola to pass to a team-mate or punt the ball upfield, he instead rolled the ball in front of him as if to take a free-kick.
The stopper even bent down to adjust his socks, with the ball now yards away from him.
Reds’ attacker Cody Gakpo spotted his surprise opportunity – running back into the area to take possession.
But it was then that the watching Taylor finally blew his whistle to stop an incredulous Gakpo from scoring a certain goal.
THE Sun's ex-Prem whistler gives his verdict on the controversy:
ANTHONY TAYLOR did NOT make a mistake by stopping Cody Gakpo from scoring what would have been one of the strangest and most controversial goals of the season.
Taylor spotted an infringement on West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola by Gakpo late on when the score was 2-2 and Liverpool were chasing a winner.
Referee Taylor saw the incident clearly but signalled play on by raising an arm. Areola went down injured, got up and then lets go of the ball thinking he has been awarded a free-kick.
Gakpo was about to score when Taylor saw what was happening and blew his whistle – but this was not an error. If advantage is signalled and no advantage follows then an official is allowed to go back and stop play.
Where Taylor did make a mistake however was by restarting play with a drop ball – it should have been a free-kick. This is what caused all the fuss.
It would have been better if Taylor had blown for a foul in the first place.
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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.
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***ed 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.”
Despite fan anger, The Sun’s ex-Prem whistler Mark Halsey insisted the ref was RIGHT.
Halsey believes Taylor spotted a foul on Areola and halted the action when the Hammers had no advantage.
Halsey said: Gakpo was about to score when Taylor saw what was happening and blew his whistle – but this was not an error.
“If advantage is signalled and no advantage follows then an official is allowed to go back and stop play.”
ARNE SLOT is set to be tasked with a near-impossible job – replacing Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.
Should he swap the Eredivisie for the Premier League, Slot will follow in the footsteps of fellow follically-challenged Dutchman Erik ten Hag.
Ten Hag left Ajax to become Manchester United manager in 2022.
But he has suffered a nightmare spell at Old Trafford and appears to be a dead-man walking despite making the FA Cup final.
With Slot seemingly destined for Anfield, fans won’t be able to help but compare his record in Holland with Ten Hag’s.
And Reds supporters won’t like what they see.
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