“It Changes the Game” – Liverpool Women “Let Down by Officials” After Penalty Given Outside the Box
Liverpool Women suffered a frustrating 1-0 loss to Everton at Goodison Park, a match ultimately decided by a controversial penalty call that left manager Matt Beard venting his anger at the officiating team.
The pivotal moment came when Fuka Nagano was deemed to have fouled Honoka Hayashi, but replays clearly showed the contact occurred outside the penalty area. Despite the clear error, referee Abigail Byrne pointed to the spot without intervention from the assistant, and with VAR unavailable in the Women’s Super League, the decision stood.
Katja Snoeijs converted the penalty, and though Liverpool dominated much of the game, they couldn’t translate that control into goals.
“It changes the complete complexity of the game,” Beard told reporters post-match, expressing his frustration with the officiating.
“You’ve got the referee, assistant referee, and fourth official all with clear views. Even I could see the foul was a yard outside the box. I just give up because this happens every week—not just to us.”
Beard didn’t shy away from questioning the consistency of officiating, noting that similar situations seem to work against Liverpool more often than not.
“I don’t know if the officials don’t like me personally, but it feels like it could be affecting my team. I’ve been booked for minor things while other managers get away with much worse.”
The Liverpool manager also highlighted what he felt were missed penalty opportunities for his side, decisions that could have altered the game’s outcome.
“We should have had two penalties, and instead, we’ve had one wrongly given against us. These decisions have cost us a point, if not three.”
When asked whether the situation underlined the need for VAR in the Women’s Super League, Beard acknowledged the financial limitations but stressed the importance of improving officiating standards.
“We know the money isn’t there for VAR, but we need better officials. I don’t know what the answer is, but every manager seems to feel the same way every week.”
The defeat leaves Liverpool in sixth place on nine points after eight matches, 12 points adrift of league leaders Chelsea. Despite the frustration, Beard and his team will need to regroup quickly to climb the table in the competitive league.
