Former Premier League official Dermot Gallagher has claimed that the assistant referee made the correct call to not give Liverpool a penalty against Stoke City.
During the closing stages at Anfield, Mohamed Salah's cross was prevented from finding Alberto Moreno in front of goal by Erik Pieters's hand, and it was a decision which frustrated Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp and midfielder Jordan Henderson.
However, Gallagher has insisted that despite the space between Salah and Pieters, the Dutchman did not deliberately put his hand in the way of the ball.
Gallagher told Sky Sports News: "This will divide opinion - I do not think it is a penalty because as the season has gone on, I think handball has become a lot more consistent with the referees, and this falls into what we have seen in the last 36 weeks in that referees have not been giving them.
"What I would say is that a lot of people I worked with on Saturday said it is a penalty because it came a long way and he had time to get out of the way, but I think that ball came very, very fast and so I would give him the benefit of the doubt there, and consistently over 36 weeks, that is what we have come to expect."
The fixture on Merseyside ended in a goalless draw.
Darren Plant
