VAR is ruining game, blasts Jose as Spurs’ Euro bid dealt blow
Sterling would get the better of Gomez again for the second, at which point Klopp presumably decided his centre-half would be replaced at half-time. Foden’s dribbling, combined with De Bruyne’s off-the-ball running, stretched Liverpool’s defence enough for Sterling to take up possession inside the area and step away from Gomez’s limp challenge to tuck the ball through his legs and into the net.
But it was the third goal which demonstrated that, for this evening at least, one team was playing at a far greater level. One of Andy Robertson’s most remarkable attributes is his consistency, but this was comfortably the most haphazard performance of his Liverpool career,
No problem: Raheem Sterling fires past Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson for City’s second, and (above) a frustrated Jurgen Klopp
and its worst moment came when he overcommitted to closing down Foden, allowing the youngster to play a brilliant firsttime one-two with De Bruyne and then lift the ball over a helpless Alisson.
It was not even half-time and a rout felt possible. In the end, there would only be one more, with Sterling embarrassing Robertson once more and forcing it in off Oxlade-chamberlain.
Mercifully for Liverpool, Riyad Mahrez saw a strike ruled out by VAR for handball in the build-up.
Little attention will be paid to this result when the story of this season is told to future generations. City, though, will have belief that they have struck the first blow in next season’s race.
TOTTENHAM head coach Jose Mourinho says he fears for the future of football after his side were on the wrong end of one of the most controversial VAR decisions of the season in a 3-1 loss at Sheffield United.
Spurs were trailing to Sander Berge’s opener when Harry Kane converted two minutes later, only for VAR referee Michael Oliver to spot a handball by Lucas Moura in the build-up.
Contact by Moura as he fell was minimal at best, but the goal was chalked off and Spurs were not even afforded a free-kick.
They let that sense of injustice affect them as the Blades regained their verve from earlier in the season, with Lys Mousset and Oli Mcburnie adding further second-half goals.
Kane did get on the scoresheet at the death, but Spurs’ defeat leaves their Champions League hopes in tatters, sitting seven points off Wolves and Manchester United.
Mourinho fears that VAR and the people using it are ruining football.
“I cannot say anything because I’d be in trouble with the institutions and I want to protect myself and my club so I can’t be open as I’d like to be,” he said.
“Now, I can only say that normally I’m a professional guy on the bench in these moments, I never complain at the guy with the whistle because it’s not the referee any more.
“I used to go to the fourth official but the man on the pitch is the assistant referee. The man and lady with the flags are the assistant of the assistant referee.
“I think the referee should always be the man on the pitch and the people in the office should just support and assist.
“That’s not the way it is. We’re going in a direction that’s bad for the beautiful game, the game everybody fell in love with.”
Spurs were by far the better team until that moment, but let it affect them.
“We have to do better, we have to be mentally stronger to cope with what happened during the game. We cannot mentally die after Michael Oliver’s decision,” added Mourinho.
“I know that it’s a kick in our teeth but with 50 minutes to go we have to be stronger. That’s my criticism of my team.”
The Blades were full value for their three points, the first of the Premier League return after two defeats and a draw, which enhance their European ambitions.
Boss Chris Wilder said: “I have a back catalogue of decisions that have gone against us, we are the unofficial champions of Europe on VAR decisions going against us. I can understand their manager’s frustrations.”