Neil Mellor was eager to offer credit score to 1 man who quietly performed a vital position in one among Liverpool’s objectives of their 4-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday evening.
Cody Gakpo doubled the Reds’ lead within the 63rd minute as VAR accurately overturned the assistant referee’s offside name which had initially chalked off the aim (and noticed Darwin Nunez cheekily inform the linesman that he acquired it unsuitable!).
Nonetheless, a number of seconds earlier than the Dutchman’s header, the assistant on the other touchline flagged for an offside close to the nook of the Anfield Street Stand and Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand. Referee Danny Makkelie seen that the house aspect had been in possession at that second and sensibly utilized the benefit rule.
Mellor praises Makkelie for enjoying benefit
Taking to X on Wednesday, Mellor praised the Dutch official for opting to play on when Liverpool had the ball, as a substitute of needlessly calling it again for a free kick. It proved to be a key resolution with Gakpo discovering the online on the finish of that passage of play.
The previous Reds striker posted: “Huge credit score to the referee final evening… performed an excellent benefit as a substitute of blowing for offside – Liverpool go straight down the opposite finish and rating the 2nd aim.”
Huge credit score to the referee final evening… performed an excellent benefit as a substitute of blowing for offside – Liverpool go straight down the opposite finish and rating the 2nd aim👏 #Ref #benefit #LFC #ChampionsLeague #ReviewShow pic.twitter.com/oNil0ua4O3
— Neil Mellor (@NeilMellor33) November 6, 2024
Mellor proper to acknowledge Makkelie
It was a split-second resolution from Makkelie that many pundits most likely both didn’t discover or had forgotten nearly immediately, however it ended up being a superb name from the 41-year-old, who confirmed simply two yellow playing cards all evening in a refreshingly under-the-radar outing from his perspective.
It mightn’t essentially have modified the sport had he gone again for the free kick as a substitute of enjoying benefit, as Liverpool would most probably have received with a level of consolation anyway, however it nonetheless confirmed how frequent sense refereeing can contribute to a greater spectacle.
We’re fast to leap on officers after they make controversial selections, and so they must be held accountable for blatant errors, so it’s solely proper that we reward the Dutch whistler for studying the scenario accurately and permitting play to proceed.
It definitely makes a pleasant change from listening to Howard Webb issuing grovelling apologies for among the atrocious calls that we witness all too usually within the Premier League!
