Liverpool told VAR error made as penalty overturned vs PSG amid 'clear and obvious' confusion

Liverpool were awarded a penalty against Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield before VAR intervened and the it was decided Alexis Mac Allister had not been fouled

Liverpool should have been awarded a penalty against Paris Saint-Germain, according to former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg. The Reds looked set to be awarded a chance to get back into their Champions League clash before VAR intervened to chalk off their spotkick.

Alexis Mac Allister went down in the area under a challenge from Willian Pacho that was ultimately decided not to be a foul. Maurizio Mariani pointed to the spot immediately after the Argentina international went down but was told to look at the scenario once again by VAR.

The Argentina international felt contact before going down in the 18-yard area. Mac Allister appeared to go down easily, but had appeared to shield the ball before the defender made contact with him.

"We talk about clear and obvious John, every time we talk about the VAR interventions, but when you see the contact on Mac Allister's foot...and people will say it's soft, but it's not wrong - there is a contact," said Clattenburg on commentary.

"Once the referee gives it, I expect the penalty to be upheld. If he hadn't give it, I would accept the VAR not to interfere, but once the on-field decision was penalty kick, I would expect it to be given."

Former Newcastle striker and Amazon pundit Alan Shearer was in disbelief that the decision had been overturned. He believes that midfielder Mac Allister positioned himself well to win a foul in the area.

"I'm surprised as well because Mac Allister does ever so well to try and protect that ball, inviting the challenge in from Pacho," he said. "And once he tries to get the ball and doesn't, and does make contact with him, and the referee gives it, I'm really, really surprised he's overturned that."

Not everyone was quite as surprised. Ex-Liverpool full-back Stephen Warnock believes that Mac Allister's fall was a clumsy one.

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"I didn't think it was a penalty," he said on BBC. "Alexis Mac Allister clumsily goes down, there is just a coming together of the two players. Liverpool now has to get back into the tempo of how they have been playing."

While Liverpool had dominated the second period, they were unable to reduce the two-goal deficit they faced from the first leg. Instead, it was PSG who were able to find the net.

Ousmane Dembele scored in the 72nd minute to extend the visitors' lead on aggregate. It was the Frenchman who struck again in stoppage time from Bradley Barcola's smart pass to secure a place in the final four of the Champions League.

Warnock believes that PSG were simply on a different level to their Premier League opponents. "Liverpool threw everything at Paris St-Germain," he said.

"Yes, PSG have ridden their luck at times, but this is the level that every European team is aspiring to get to. This team is at a different level. They are superb."