Liverpool were relieved to see a penalty awarded to Paris Saint-Germain overturned as their Champions League tie threatened to slip out of their reach. With the score 2-0 to their French hosts, referee Jose Maria Sanchez Martinez pointed to the spot when Ibrahima Konate brought down Warren Zaire-Emery.
Konate quickly picked up a yellow card before VAR forced Martinez to review his decision. Ultimately, the contact Konate made before winning the ball was judged to be legal.
Explaining the decision to overturn, UEFA said: "Decision overturned: no penalty. Penalty cancelled - no foul. Liverpool player, No5, challenged the ball in a fair manner without committing a foul on the opponent."
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While that was deliberated, there was uncertainty among pundits over which way the decision would go.
Ally McCoist said: "I thought it looked a brilliant challenge. It looked as though he brought his leg round. He comes from behind. I think he probably knocks him first. He just knocks him."
Paul Robinson said: "Ibrahima Konate has got on the wrong side and he gets caught not being goal-side. Konate comes around the side and he does get a piece of the ball, but I feel he gets Warren Zaïre-Emery first."
And Stephen Warnock perhaps needed most convincing. He said: "I am still not sure if that's a penalty or not.
"I want to see that challenge again, from behind - that's the angle. Konate makes contact with Zaire-Emery first - he brushes his thigh before he gets the ball, but I am not sure it is enough to bring him down."
As a result of VAR's intervention, Konate saw his yellow card overturned but Liverpool were unable to narrow the deficit that PSG had already earned. Desire Doue opened the goalscoring with a deflected effort after just 11 minutes.
The French giants doubled their lead when Khvicha Kvaratskhelia left Ryan Gravenberch for dead before keeping his cool to slot past Giorgi Mamardashvili. The Georgian star produced an impressive performance to hand his side a healthy lead.
The Reds remain in the tie but have been accused of being submissive in their performance. Former England goalkeeper Robinson believes the side did not believe they were as good as their opponents.
"Liverpool were poor, really poor," he said. "After the City performance, they wanted some type of performance - he wanted a response tonight from the manager and the captain.
"They changed the system, they played a back five, and from the first whistle, they were very submissive. They came here and admitted that they were not as good a team as PSG."
