Hackett rejects Liverpool questions over Smallbone's Southampton goal

Exclusive: Hackett rejects Liverpool questions over Smallbone’s Southampton goal

Will Smallbone’s opening goal for Southampton against Liverpool at Anfield was rightly allowed to stand, Keith Hackett has said.

The former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official exclusively told Football Insider that Mathues Fernandes did not impede Alisson Becker enough for the goal to be ruled out.

Arne Slot‘s side moved closer to the Premier League title at Anfield on Saturday (8 March), with their lead over Arsenal at the top of the table extended to 15 points after the weekend’s results.

Liverpool though had to come from behind to beat Southampton 3-1, after Smallbone had opened the scoring for the visitors.

Keith Hackett has reacted to questions over Southampton’s opening goal vs Liverpool

Matheus Fernandes and Alisson Becker collide as Saints go in front

That opening goal for Southampton came after a mix-up at the back between two of the Reds’ most reliable defensive options in captain Virgil van Dijk and goalkeeper Alisson Becker.

As the Liverpool skipper attempted to shepherd the ball back to his goalkeeper, Smallbone and Fernandes attempted to steal in and win possession.

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That then led to a collision between Fernandes and Alisson, with the ball bouncing off the Brazilian and into the path of Smallbone who was able to squeeze the ball into the back of the net.

Liverpool last five games Result Aston Villa (A) Drew 2-2 Man City (A) Won 2-0 Newcastle (H) Won 2-0 PSG (A) Won 1-0 Southampton (H) Won 3-1 All competitions

Given the Southampton duo had been ahead of the last defender at the time the ball broke to Smallbone after contact between Fernandes and Alisson, there had been some questions of a foul or offside.

Hackett though does not believe there was enough in the incident to justify ruling out the goal and handing a reprieve to Liverpool, due to Fernandes not being the one to touch the ball to Smallbone.

Keith Hackett reacts after Liverpool fall behind to Southampton

After being asked by Football Insider about those suggestions of offside or a foul against Alisson, the former referee said:

“He’s (Fernandes) not impacting on the goalkeeper. If it has hit the player or made contact with Fernandes, he is offside.

“I would have suggested that it probably has been checked with VAR quickly, and they’re satisfied that there’s not been a touch... had it hit (Fernandes) in any format, he is offside.

On the possibility of a foul being committed on Fernandes, Hackett added: “No I think there’s a coming together and Alisson’s gone down, I’d want more than that to disallow the goal.”

After Darwin Nunez’s equaliser, two Mo Salah penalties, the latter after a bizarre handball from Southampton defender Yuki Sugawara, sealed the win for the hosts.

Concerns from Salah over an extra Liverpool substitution were also shut down, meaning the Reds can now focus on the second leg of their Champions League clash with PSG on Tuesday (11 March).

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