New VAR audio reveals Howard Webb explaining Liverpool’s penalty decision against Crystal Palace.

The Premier League and PGMOL have released new VAR audio featuring a key incident from Liverpool’s win over Crystal Palace.

VAR audio has been released regarding the decision not to award Crystal Palace a penalty in their match against Liverpool. The Reds secured a 1-0 victory, with Diogo Jota scoring the decisive goal to keep them at the top of the Premier League heading into the October international break.

Liverpool faced a tense moment when VAR checked a potential penalty for Palace. The review focused on an incident where Virgil van Dijk appeared to hold Marc Guehi during a cross. Referee Simon Hooper didn’t award a penalty, and VAR official David Coote, after reviewing the replays, agreed that Van Dijk’s hold wasn’t enough to justify a penalty. Coote explained that Guehi was unlikely to reach the ball, so the hold had no real impact.

The audio, shared on the latest episode of “Match Officials Mic’d Up,” featured PGMOL chief Howard Webb, who discussed the incident with former Liverpool striker Michael Owen. Webb backed Coote’s decision, stating that Van Dijk’s action was quick and didn’t affect Guehi’s ability to play the ball.

Webb emphasized that at full speed, the hold didn’t look significant, and slowing down the footage can make the contact appear more impactful than it really was. Both the referee and VAR cleared the incident as non-penalizing.