HUGE drama at Anfield! Why controversial Nottingham Forest goal was given despite Liverpool fans going crazy as Igor Jesus is then left absolutely fuming by VAR handball call

The Brazilian centre back opened the scoring with a low driven effort after Liverpool failed to clear their lines from a corner. Forest forward Dan Ndoye appeared to obscure Alisson's view of the shot while in an offside position, triggering protests from the Liverpool players.

However, a post from the official Premier League Match Centre account said the goal stood, as Ndoye was not considered to be impeding the Liverpool shot stopper. 

The tweet read: "#LIVNFO – 33’

The referee’s call of goal was checked and confirmed by VAR – with it deemed that Ndoye was not in the line of vision of Alisson and did not make an action that impacted an opponent." 

The decision will anger Liverpool fans, after Virgil van Dijk's goal during their 3-0 defeat to Manchester City earlier this month was ruled out, after Andry Roberston was adjudged to have interfered with Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Just moments later, the VABR was called into action once again. This time, with Forest on the attack, Ibrahim Konate's clearance struck Igor Jesus, allowing the Brazillian to turn the ball past his compatriot in the host's goal. However, the goal was ruled out as the on-field referee ruled the ball had struck the striker's arm. Despite the replau showing the ball did not clearly strikeIgor Jesus' arm, the on-field decision stood. Again, the Premier League Match Centre account shared an immediate message. Their post read: 

“#LIVNFO – 35’ The referee’s call of no goal was checked and confirmed by VAR – with it deemed that Jesus accidentally handled the ball before scoring.”

Speaking in the aftermath of Murillo's goal, former Arsenal defender Martin Keown said on BBC Radio 5 Live: "If you follow the mantra of last time when Robertson ducked out the way of the ball (against Man City), and here the ball goes through the legs of the player in front of Alisson. Why did that go against us last week and the opposite against us this week?" 

John Bennett, the BBC's Final Score reporter at Anfield for the game, said: "The Liverpool fans around me can’t believe Murillo’s goal wasn’t disallowed due to Dan Ndoye being offside in front of Alisson when the ball went in. But the VAR felt he wasn’t in the keeper’s line of vision, which is a huge talking point.

"Then Igor Jesus had a goal disallowed for handball but it’s very hard to see if he did handle it on the replay. Both managers have been unhappy with the referee & Forest coach Ian Woan was booked. The second half will be intense for both teams and the officials."

Despite the VAR officials ruling in their favour later in the half, the Liverpool fans will feel especially hard done-by in light of the controversy in their recent defeat at the Etihad. 

The high-spirited debate around the quality of officiating in the Premier League will only intensify in light of this latest drama at Anfield. The Reds went on to lose the game 3-0, as goals from Murillo, Nicolo Savona, and Morgan Gibbs-White gave Sean Dyche's side one of the most impressive wins of his Premier League career. Now, Slot and his men will be looking to find a way to put a chastening defeat behind them.