Milner 'falling out of love' with football amid ongoing VAR controversy

"It's 'clear and obvious' we need a serious discussion about VAR," according to James Milner after Brighton and Hove Albion's late leveller.

James Milner claimed to be "falling out of love with the game" after more VAR controversy in Liverpool's 1-1 Premier League draw with Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday. 

Diogo Jota's 60th-minute strike appeared to be sending the visitors three points clear at the top of the Premier League but VAR, which had earlier disallowed goals for Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, intervened in stoppage time. 

Andy Robertson swung out a foot and clipped Danny Welbeck in the penalty area, and though referee Stuart Attwell did not spot the infringement initially, he changed his mind after viewing the pitch-side monitor.

Pascal Gross slammed home from the spot to seal a point for the Seagulls and extend the Reds' winless run on the road in the top flight to four games.

Milner, who went off with a hamstring injury with 16 minutes remaining, was furious with the decision and took to Twitter to express his frustration with a sardonic reference to the "clear and obvious" error protocol to which VAR supposedly adheres. 

"It's 'clear and obvious' we need a serious discussion about VAR," he wrote. "Sure I'm not alone in feeling like they are falling out of love with the game in its current state."

While Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said "the decisions were correct," Jordan Henderson claimed Welbeck conceded the late spot-kick should not have been given.

"Danny Welbeck said to me it wasn't a penalty,” he told BT Sport. “There were four or five [Brighton players] who felt it wasn't a penalty.

"To overturn it, it has to be clear and obvious. Is that a clear and obvious penalty, to go to the screen and overturn it?"

Liverpool, who are a point clear at the top of the league after playing a game more than Tottenham in second, host Ajax in the Champions League on Tuesday before Wolves visit Anfield in the Premier League on Sunday.