Forget Van Dijk’s mistake – Bryan Mbeumo’s goal should never have stood.
Bryan Mbeumo wasted no time getting on the scoresheet for Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday afternoon.
The summer signing stunned the home crowd by finding the net inside the opening minute, leaving Liverpool boss Arne Slot visibly frustrated on the touchline.
However, questions have been raised over why play wasn’t halted moments earlier when Alexis Mac Allister went down injured.
Mac Allister’s Head Injury Overshadowed Mbeumo’s Goal
Many Liverpool fans felt the goal should not have stood after Mac Allister collapsed on the pitch following an accidental elbow from teammate Virgil van Dijk during an aerial challenge with Mbeumo.
Footage from Sky Sports, shared on X (formerly Twitter), showed the Argentine midfielder lying motionless as referee Michael Oliver allowed play to continue, leading to United’s opening goal.
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher expressed his surprise at the decision:
“I’m surprised Michael Oliver hasn’t pulled that back with a head injury. We saw something similar in the Arsenal game yesterday — the rule should be applied consistently.”
Carragher also noted moments earlier that Arne Slot was visibly unhappy with how the incident was handled.
According to Premier League regulations, referees are expected to stop play immediately if there’s a suspected head injury, allowing medical staff to assess the player — something that clearly didn’t happen here.
Defensive Mix-Up Adds to Liverpool’s Misery
Virgil van Dijk had warned before kickoff that Manchester United’s summer signings could pose problems, and Mbeumo proved him right within seconds.
A defensive lapse saw Van Dijk gesture to Ibrahima Konaté to mark the onrushing Mbeumo, but the message seemed to get lost, leaving the Cameroonian forward free to finish.
It was a disastrous moment for Liverpool’s defence — and while the backline deserves criticism, supporters will justifiably feel frustrated that play wasn’t stopped when Mac Allister suffered what appeared to be a head injury.
