Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has backed Jurgen Klopp's claims that Liverpool should have had a penalty in their win over Newcastle United.
The Reds made it five wins from five in the Premier League with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Steve Bruce's side, but Klopp admitted afterwards that he was left bemused by the decision not to award his side a first half penalty.
Reds defender Joel Matip appeared to be clearly held and pushed to the ground by Jamaal Lascelles with his side searching for an equaliser after falling behind early on.
But referee Andre Mariner waved play on, while the subsequent VAR check claimed the official hadn't made a clear and obvious error in not awarding the spot kick, leaving the German scratching his head in amazement over the call.
“For me it was a clear penalty," he told the assembled press afterwards. "As long as you win then it's not an issue. If we had lost 1-0 then we would speak differently about it but it is a penalty.
“We cannot fight like this for a ball. Joel Matip, there's a wresting situation and he turns him in the air. In the past we didn't need VAR to make this decision, so we shouldn't have to use it now.”
And Klopp's claims has been further strengthened with Gallagher of the opinion that Marriner got it wrong and should have awarded Liverpool a penalty.
"The positioning of referee Andre Marriner is where you'd expect him to be for a corner," Gallagher told Ref Watch on Sky Sports .
"He obviously didn't think there was enough contact, he can tell that. But I think it was a penalty, others don't.
"It is more difficult for the assistant because he's got a flat look at it. In incidents like that, you want to be looking sideways on to see the impact.
"If a subjective decision goes to VAR, it has to meet their threshold. I can't tell you what that is but it hasn't met it for overturning, so the assistant at Stockley Park can't give a penalty."
