Oliver Glasner makes big Liverpool claim after blasting VAR over penalty decision
Oliver Glasner admits he is bewildered Crystal Palace weren’t awarded a penalty in their defeat to a Liverpool team he regards the best in the Premier League at present. Diogo Jota’s ninth-minute goal was sufficient to earn the Reds a 1-0 win at Selhurst Park on Saturday and maintain their position at the top of the table.
The visitors were indebted to saves from Alisson Becker and his replacement Vitezslav Jaros to ensure a sixth clean sheet in 10 games in all competitions this campaign.
But Glasner is adamant Palace should have had a spot kick in the second half when VAR David Coote backed up the decision of referee Simon Hooper that Virgil van Dijk briefly holding Marc Guehi was not worthy of a foul
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“We should have got a clear penalty,” said the Palace boss. “Marc Guehi is held by two hands.
“Why didn’t VAR give it? They thought it wasn’t a penalty. This situation isn’t a discussion for me. It’s not like handball or not. Guehi wants to go for the ball and is held by two hands, it influences his run, pulls him down. I don’t know why it wasn’t given – and I have read the explanation.
“It is frustrating but on this situation we don’t have an influence. I didn’t complain about our disallowed goal at Brentford, but today, yes.”
Of the game, Glanser added: “In the first half you could see the quality of Liverpool. It’s just how good they play, how they move and how they make runs in behind and threaten you.
“That’s why they are the best team, not just in England because they also have two wins in the Champions League.
“We should defend the goal better, we opened the passing line and were too late to react. Diogo (Jota) scores many goals like this as his movement in the box is excellent.
“They deserved the lead and we struggled in the first half. But the reaction in the second half encourages all of us. We created chances and had enough to score a goal.”
Palace are still without a win this season with only Southampton and Wolves below them in the table.
Glasner, though, has taken encouragement from Palace’s display against Liverpool.
“It is disappointing, a little frustrating but the performance in the second half was the best this season,” he said. “It gives me a lot of confidence for the rest of the season.
“I told the players we have to build on our performance in the second half.
“You could see it’s not going so easily for us at the moment. It is understandable that, with the results, that the confidence of the attacking payers is suffering.
“Creating so many chances against the best defensive team in the Premier League encourages us.”