adminCrystal Palace star hits out at Liverpool decision after Premier League forced to intervene – ‘Justice’
Chris Richards insists justice was served as he took a subtle dig at VAR following Crystal Palace’s win over Liverpool on Saturday. The Reds had appeared to rescue a share of the spoils after Federico Chiesa equalised in the 87th minute, only for Eddie Nketiah to then score a 97th minute winner to inflict a first Premier League defeat of the season on Arne Slot’s side.
The United States international had been at fault for Chiesa’s equaliser, gifting the ball to the Italian with a poor headed clearance from Ryan Gravenberch’s cross.
However, there was controversy about the strike as VAR checked whether Mohamed Salah had handled Gravenberch’s initial cross into the box before it fell to Richards.
The officials ultimately decided that there was no ‘conclusive evidence’ that the Egyptian had committed an offence.
The Premier League explained the decision on social media, on its Match Centre X account, writing: “The referee’s call of goal was checked and confirmed by VAR – with it deemed there was no conclusive evidence that Salah handled the ball in the build-up.”
But that has not stopped Richards from taking issue with the goal on his own social media accounts as he quote-retweeted a post with a still image of Salah’s alleged handball before the Liverpool equaliser.
“I knew I wasn’t seeing things,” he wrote on X. “#Justice #thanksEddie”.
The defender would also react to the win on Instagram, sharing a picture of Palace celebrating Nketiah’s winner as he wrote: “Saturdays at Selhurst with Eddie. Brilliant performance from the boys”.
Liverpool’s loss reduced their lead at the top of the Premier League table to three points after Palace’s win over the Reds moved them up to second.
Arsenal can close the gap on Slot’s men on Sunday when they travel to Newcastle United, where victory would see them climb to second and reduce the deficit on the reigning Premier League champions to two points.
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