Wow. Who could possibly have predicted this. Who was it on VAR again? Oh yeah, the fella who was paid by Man City’s owners not long ago. Still, thankfully there can’t POSSIBLY be any corruption with English officials. Ludicrous to even suggest it.

To say nothing of pushing people more and more towards pirating things. Just make football easier to access for a reasonable fee and stop trying to fleece people every chance you get.

Today marks the start of #TransAwarenessWeek, we spoke to Spurs fans Tiffany and Sonny. In a time when misinformation can spread so easily, education is crucial. By taking the time to educate yourself, we can move closer to a safer future for everyone. #IStandWithTrans 🏳️‍⚧️

In the wake of Captain Gaslight telling us all black is white, another plug for my piece looking at how the PGMOL appointing someone who has previously been paid by the owners of 130 Charges FC for work as VAR & someone from Manchester as ref on Sunday might be *slightly* problematic.

I see Captain Gaslight has been on TV again, telling us all that *actually* Newcastle United supporter Michael Oliver was right to disallow Virgil’s goal coz reasons.

#LFC's performance against Real Madrid suggested a corner had been turned, but the loss to City is a sign that it was the exception rather than the rule. It's one step forward but two back for the Reds & now the season looks on the brink. Read more here: www.andcouldheplay.com/one-step-for...

Refereeing performance aside, #LFC weren't good enough against Man City, with the Reds taking one step forward but two back lately. The players need to show some form of consistency before the season gets away from them entirely. Read my latest piece here: www.andcouldheplay.com/one-step-for...

We know referees in other countries have been bribed, so I find the English exceptionalism at any mention that ours might be dodgy quite curious. It takes nothing away from #LFC's poor performance; you can't only show up against Real Madrid. Read more: www.andcouldheplay.com/one-step-for...

One of the things I hate most when talking about referees is people saying 'you can't blame them'. Yesterday, one previously paid by City's owners & another from Greater Manchester helped tilt the field. #LFC weren't good enough, but that's poor. Read more: www.andcouldheplay.com/one-step-for...

We didn’t lose today because of the refereeing so don’t tell me “you can’t blame the referees.” BUT The match referee literally being from Manchester & the VAR having literally been paid by the Man City owners in the past means it’s a disgrace they were chosen to officiate.

At least we’ve got the entirety of another fucking international break to stew on that, I guess.

I think this is right & fair. The problem Slot’s got is that it comes on the back of too many other games in which we’ve lost & looked all at sea. I also agree with the criticism that you can’t only look at it when it’s Real Madrid at home.

Look, we’ve been poor & I don’t think we’d have gotten anything out of the game anyway, but Neville acting as though the disallowed goal makes no difference is clearly bullshit. 1-1 is an entirely different game state to 2-0. You play differently & make better decisions.

Too often this season, we’ve had bad luck and our heads have just gone. City by far the better team today, but FML we’ve helped them as much as possible. The manager got the team selection wrong and it’s been downhill from there.

Gvardiol not being booked for that might just sum it all up.

When you ask your players to go again, the idea is that they’ve got enough in their legs to do so. We look shattered. City have been the better team, but FML it doesn’t half help when the officials give everything your way. Oliver done any other jobs for the City owners lately?

A penalty they’d never give to us, followed by a disallowed goal that they’d never disallow if Haaland had scored it. Good job English referees can never be questioned or else Newcastle United-supporting Michael Oliver & Manchester’s Chris Kavanagh might look a bit suspect.

Losing to these scruffy Manc cunts is made worse by having to listen to another scruffy Manc cunt revelling in it.

Shockingly, Oliver & the Manc ref have disallowed that. Complete bullshit. If Gary Neville doesn’t think it should be disallowed, it absolutely should not be.

Can’t stand losing to these Manc scruffs.

FFS

Gravenberch hasn’t started well, which is a concern.

Oliver on VAR duty & Manchester’s Chris Kavanagh in the middle. I’ll be astonished if we get given a throw-in today.

FUCK OFF YOU YOU ROBOT-LOOKING CUNT!!

There was me thinking exaggerated falling like from Doku there wasn’t a penalty. Shockingly, Greater Manchester’s Chris Kavanagh has decided to away a side from Greater Manchester a spot kick. I’m sure they’ll be just as generous if Mo Salah gets taken down in the area.

Boy does that tell its own story.

Unchanged is good for consistency & they put in a good performance against Real, but I have my concerns of certain players being asked to go again. Hopefully the break is long enough from Tuesday night.

Been out at dinner so only just seen the Arsenal score. Sunderland are doing really well and I’m pleased for them. Nice to be able to get behind a team in the north-east that isn’t owned by a murderous regime. The Stadium of Light will be a really tough place to go.

It really is mad how backward some teams in the Premier League have gone. This looks more like a League One game with all the long balls & rough housing. Such a shame that Arteta’s Arsenal are almost certainly going to win the title. So dull to watch.

Genuine question: why is Arteta allowed to be out of his technical area literally every time Arsenal play? I see him out of it more often than in it but he never gets called on it.

It’s a nasty challenge on Moreno but clearly an accident, so Arteta moaning about roughhousing is quite funny. The modern day Mourinho.

Five minutes in and four minutes have been throw-ins. This is going to be one of the worst Premier League games of the season.

I know I’ve made this point before, but my kingdom for Mo Salah to get free-kicks at the same rate Jack Grealish does. It’s insane what referees will give you if you’re English & white.

Annoying. Spurs gonna Spurs.

You’re welcome 😎

Are United….back?

This list is obviously nonsense. It’s clearly only Trent Alexander-Arnold who has been booed. And although he deliberately ran down his contract, made out it was a really difficult decision for him whilst spending his spare time learning Spanish, Liverpool fans are a disgrace.

Fully agree on this. Excellent evaluation of the situation on the show. Only for subscribers I believe. 🤔 If you're not subscribed already you can sign up on their site, or subscribe through Patreon (my preferred method): www.patreon.com/posts/liverp...

Sure, it would’ve been an absolute nightmare to fit in another fixture, but we should’ve gone strong because some people think a bunch of kids losing to Palace is going to crush Mo Salah’s confidence.

Thought The Anfield Wrap’s post-match show was very good last night. No reactionary nonsense, no histrionics, just pointing out why the manager’s thinking & selection made complete sense.

He has made homophobic gestures in the past that mean signing him would be a slap in the face to #LFC’s LGBTQ+ community, but he makes passes into the final third. I can see why it’s a tricky decision for the club. (My sarcasm is aimed at the Liverpool hierarchy, not David)

The whole thread is worth reading, but I think this is the key point. If Slot goes strong last night, it’s because he’s worried about his job, not thinking about the long term.

More than a few people on here making themselves look a bit silly tonight. Results have been really disappointing lately, but calling for Slot’s head (or even suggesting he’s under real pressure) is all a bit Twitter IMO.

Not just Slot that hasn’t got Palace’s number!

Fair play if you’ve got the energy to be annoyed about that. Yes, it’s shit to lose again, but it bears absolutely no resemblance to the rest of the defeats recently & I think being out of the cup is better than staying in it, personally.

Jeezy creezy. This is….a take.

That one was all about Endo stepping out & Gomez running over to cover his space, leaving the middle of our defence wide open. I’m not really sure you should look *that* open with a back five.

Like a neat summary of our season so far, that. A goal out of absolutely nowhere that was really unlucky from #LFC’s point of view. Not sure there’s much Gomez could do about it & sheer bad fortune that it fell to Sarr.

Morrison looks like a Curtis Jones regen from Merseyside Reds on PES.

If we weren’t on such an historically bad run of form, I think there’s a world in which the manager wouldn’t be totally against getting knocked out of the League Cup. The problem is, we can’t keep losing. To say nothing of this possibly being our only chance at silverware.