Liverpool fans won’t be pleased with Mark Clattenburg’s comments following the defeat to Brentford.
Liverpool’s frustration with refereeing decisions grew once again following the 3–2 defeat to Brentford — and Mark Clattenburg’s comments are unlikely to calm the anger around Anfield.
Clattenburg backs VAR over both penalty calls
Speaking to TBR Football, the former Premier League referee defended both contentious incidents, insisting the officials made the right calls.
Discussing the moment that led to Brentford’s third goal, he explained:
“Virgil van Dijk clearly caught Dango Ouattara’s foot right on the line of the penalty area. The line is considered part of the box, so contact there means a penalty. At first, it looked outside, but replays confirmed it was on the line.”
That VAR-confirmed decision allowed Igor Thiago to score from the spot, deepening the frustration for the defending champions, who have now lost four straight league matches.
Clattenburg also addressed the earlier Cody Gakpo incident — one that pundit Steve McManaman argued should have been a foul — but the ex-referee backed the officials once again.
“The referee’s call not to give a penalty was spot on,” he said. “You can see Gakpo anticipating the defender’s leg and going down deliberately.”
Former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett also supported Simon Hooper’s original decision, saying the referee was “perfectly placed” to judge it — meaning VAR was right not to intervene.
Liverpool’s slump continues amid officiating controversy
Despite goals from Milos Kerkez and Mo Salah, Liverpool’s defeat made it four league losses in a row — their worst Premier League run since 2021.
The Reds have now shipped two or more goals in nine of their last ten games, a concerning pattern that manager Arne Slot must address quickly.
Once again, refereeing dominated post-match discussions, but Clattenburg’s verdict suggests that — by the laws of the game — there was little wrongdoing. Still, for Liverpool, it felt like another match defined by fine margins and key calls going the wrong way.
