“Mike Dean Weighs In as New Footage Reignites Liverpool Penalty Controversy”
“Mike Dean Breaks Silence on Liverpool’s Controversial Penalty as New Footage Shakes Up Debate”
Fresh footage has shed light on the controversial penalty decision that saw Liverpool awarded a spot-kick against Bournemouth on Saturday. The two in-form sides clashed at the Vitality Stadium in a thrilling Premier League encounter, with the Reds emerging victorious.
Arne Slot’s squad has been in sensational form this season, and their momentum didn’t falter against the Cherries. However, the match’s opening goal came in contentious fashion. Cody Gakpo seemingly went down under a challenge inside Bournemouth’s box, prompting the referee to award a penalty. Mohamed Salah stepped up and calmly slotted it home.
The decision sparked debate on social media, with many fans arguing it was a harsh call. The Premier League even issued a statement addressing the controversy. Now, former referee Mike Dean has weighed in with his verdict, and newly surfaced footage of the incident has provided fresh insight into whether the referee made the right call.
“Mike Dean Backs Referee’s Call in Controversial Penalty Decision”
As Gakpo hit the ground in Bournemouth’s box, the referee ruled that Lewis Cook had clipped him from behind. However, not everyone agreed, with many questioning the decision online. Now, former Premier League referee Mike Dean has weighed in, offering his take in just five words. When asked about the incident, he gave a straightforward response, as quoted by the Liverpool Echo:
New footage has surfaced online, offering a fresh angle of the incident. The clip clearly shows that Cook did make contact with the back of Gakpo just before he went down, confirming that the referee’s decision was indeed the correct one.
Looks like Cook clips Gakpo’s ankle from this angle.
Yeah, that’s a penalty. pic.twitter.com/U6AspzkudU
— Anfield Edition (@AnfieldEdition) February 1, 2025
Look how’s this a debate
— . (@_Riddock_) February 1, 2025
Liverpool secured a 2-0 victory, with Salah netting a second goal to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table to nine points. And with the newly surfaced footage confirming the foul on Gakpo, there’s no doubt they earned the win fair and square.