Ref Watch: Did Sunderland deserve a penalty for Szoboszlai ‘push’?…

Ref Watch: Should Sunderland have been awarded a penalty for the ‘push’ by Szoboszlai?

The Ref Watch team examines the choice not to grant Sunderland a penalty after the incident involving Dominik Szoboszlai and Dan Ballard.

‘Correct decision’ – Sky Sports analysts concur on the possible penalty situation during the Liverpool draw.

Liverpool faced another frustrating evening at Anfield on Wednesday, as they were unable to secure a victory for the third consecutive home match.

After suffering heavy defeats of three goals against Nottingham Forest and PSV Eindhoven in the last two weeks, the Reds at least managed to earn a point against a strong Sunderland team this time, although it felt more like two points lost than one gained.

Florian Wirtz appeared downcast at the final whistle, as did many of his teammates, with the outcome doing little to ease the pressure on Arne Slot, who has overseen only four wins in the last 14 matches across all competitions.

Sky pundits analyze the possible penalty decision against Liverpool.

Liverpool’s situation could have been even more dire, as in the second half, the visiting team was appealing for a penalty following a clash between Dominik Szoboszlai and Dan Ballard in the penalty area, but their appeals went unheard.

Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher opined that no foul occurred, stating on Sky Sports‘ Ref Watch: “What happens is Ballard is not going to get the ball. He feels a touch on his back and just goes down..It is a full-contact game, and making contact with a player isn’t necessarily a foul.”

Jay Bothroyd supported his studio colleague, asserting: “I know exactly what he’s done there. He realizes he’s ahead of Szoboszlai, and then when he’s ahead of him, he kind of backs in, which means he’s trying to initiate contact from Szoboszlai.

“This situation does not involve Ballard simply standing still while Szoboszlai pushes him. Both players are actively moving into that space.

Ballard recognizes he is in front, then he halts. He plants his feet, and Szoboszlai collides with him from behind, but the decision made was correct. It was not a penalty.”

It was indeed the correct decision, yet uncertainties linger for Liverpool.

There was minimal contact from Szoboszlai on Ballard’s back as the ball entered the penalty area following a long throw-in, but it was insufficient to warrant a penalty kick, and Stuart Attwell made the appropriate judgment.

As Gallagher and Bothroyd pointed out, the Sunderland defender foresaw the impending collision and adjusted his positioning accordingly, leaving the Hungarian with no alternative route, making this a clear-cut situation.

What remains much less certain is the makeup of the Liverpool starting lineup for their upcoming match against Leeds on Saturday, as last night’s performance seems to have sparked numerous valid discussions on that front.

For example, Adebayo Akinfenwa supported Federico Chiesa’s case following the Italian’s crucial block against Wilson Isidor that secured a point in stoppage time, while Alexander Isak might realistically be at risk of losing his spot to Hugo Ekitike after a performance that Steve Nicol labeled as ‘invisible.’

The Reds have experienced a few false starts following victories in recent weeks. Starting this weekend, they must return to the form that characterized their early campaign, as those seven consecutive wins in August and September now feel more like a memory from last season than a part of this one.