Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister was left in a heap on the floor when Manchester United broke the deadlock at Anfield, with the referee controversially allowing the goal to stand
10:50, 20 Oct 2025Updated 10:50, 20 Oct 2025
Alexis Mac Allister suffered a head injury in the build-up to Manchester United’s opening goal
Dermot Gallagher has backed Michael Oliver’s decision to allow play to continue in the build-up to Manchester United’s opening goal against Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday evening. The controversy arose just before Bryan Mbeumo broke the deadlock for Ruben Amorim’s side.
Bruno Fernandes pounced on a loose ball in the middle of the park after Virgil van Dijk collided with Alexis Mac Allister. The Liverpool midfielder fell to the ground in a heap, but Oliver waved play on, and the Red Devils mounted an attack.
The United captain quickly passed the ball to Amad, who set up Mbeumo for the goal. Gallagher reviewed the incident on Sky Sports‘ Ref Watch show and defended Oliver’s decision.
Gallagher said: “Is there a foul? No, because it’s Van Dijk who comes in behind Mac Allister. Michael Oliver assess it and says ‘no foul’ and play goes on very quickly.”
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“He’s forced to break with it and so is the assistant, so neither see Mac Allister behind them. Within five seconds, the ball is in the net. The first time they see Mac Allister down, the ball is in the net so that’s the first time they can go back [and check him]. It’s just an unfortunate incident.”
After the game, Arne Slot was asked about his views on the validity of the goal. The Liverpool boss said: “I think the main thing we should do now, I should do now, is not complain, blame or do these kind of things.
“We could have done much better after Macca was on the floor, we should have done better. But the healthcare of a player is something that is important and if a player needs to have four stitches, you would hope that everybody understands that he needs immediate treatment.
“But it didn’t happen. But, again, we could have done better, so that’s not the reason why we lost this game today – the reason is because we missed far too many chances to win a game of football.”
Alexis Mac Allister required treatment following his collision with Virgil van Dijk(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
Slot continued: “Again, I’ve said it here many times and I’m hoping that I’m not just saying it to you but everybody understands this a bit better, we are not a team – which I see a lot in football – that goes to the floor pretending it’s a head injury so they kill the counter-attack.
“That’s not who we are. We never go to the floor, we always are a fair team. So if a player of us is then on the floor you would hope everybody would say, ‘It’s Liverpool, they don’t do these kind of things, so let’s blow a whistle.’
“But, again, that’s not an excuse for us conceding the goal and that’s not an excuse for us losing this game of football.”
Gary Neville laid the fault at Van Dijk’s door, insisting the Liverpool skipper ought to have been better positioned to stop the attack. While on co-commentary duty for Sky Sports at Anfield, the United legend said: “What a first minute it is from Manchester United.
“I was just thinking about getting to first base, 20 to 25 minutes in, but those United fans are delirious to our left. Amad and Mbeumo connect, and there’s something here that’s really unusual.
“There’s a challenge in midfield where Mac Allister goes down – watch Van Dijk, that’s the thing that stuns me. Mbeumo runs off the back of Van Dijk – I don’t think he sees him. [Ibrahima] Konate can’t get across. But just watch Van Dijk here. The big surprise.”
During the half-time break, Jamie Redknapp echoed Neville’s sentiments. The ex-Liverpool midfielder said: “From Man United’s point of view, it’s brilliant but I think Van Dijk makes a big mistake. He has to sprint back.
“Yes, there was a collision but you still have to think for yourself. You can’t pass it onto Konate. You have to sprint back as quick as you can and make sure that run doesn’t go in behind you. So fundamentally, they’ve made a mistake.”
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