Liverpool’s match against Chelsea on October 20, 2024, was filled with intense moments, particularly when VAR overturned Liverpool’s second penalty. The incident occurred in the first half when Robert Sanchez, Chelsea’s goalkeeper, collided with Curtis Jones. Referee John Brooks initially awarded Liverpool a penalty, but after reviewing the play on the pitchside monitor, he overturned his decision.
According to VAR, Sanchez made contact with the ball before making contact with Jones, which led to the reversal of the penalty decision. This move was met with mixed reactions from pundits, with Jamie Carragher stating that Chelsea was “fortunate” to avoid conceding a second penalty. Carragher believed that Sanchez didn’t get enough of the ball to justify overturning the penalty
The incident was one of four penalty calls during the match. The first penalty call was against Trent Alexander-Arnold for stepping on Jadon Sancho’s foot, but it wasn’t awarded. The second penalty call was against Levi Colwill for bringing down Curtis Jones, which resulted in Mohamed Salah scoring from the spot. The third penalty call was the overturned decision involving Sanchez and Jones.
The match ultimately ended 2-1 in favor of Liverpool, with Curtis Jones scoring the winning goal. The victory propelled Liverpool to the top of the Premier League table, a point ahead of Manchester City.
