Liverpool and Tottenham were involved in a Premier League classic at Anfield on Sunday, with Liverpool getting the three points they desperately needed in the 90th minute from a Toby Alderweireld own goal.
That came after Lucas Moura had equalised in the 70th minute, following a quickly-taken free kick from Harry Kane.
The Tottenham striker spun the ball back onto the ground before pinging an inch-perfect pass across the pitch to Kieran Tripper.
However, there was a question mark over whether the ball was still moving when he kicked it.
Talking on Ref Watch (Sky Sports, Monday, 11.30am), former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher said Martin Atkinson was correct to let play go and that it wasn’t something that would change under VAR next season.
“VAR can’t get involved in restarting play,” Gallagher said. “What you would say here is that you can look at it over and over again… The closest person to the ball is the referee and you just can’t know whether the ball has stopped at that point. But, Martin Atkinson has got the best view.
“What I would say, he was right on top of it and he was happy with it. I’d go along with that.”
OPINION
The pass from Kane was amazing and it deserved a goal on the end of it. He reacted quickest to the free-kick and his pass put Liverpool on the backfoot and almost cost them two points. It shows what a rounded player the England striker is, and he dropped deep a number of times on Sunday to start attacking plays for Spurs. The ball wasn’t obviously moving but it hadn’t obviously stopped. In this instance, the advantage should surely go to the attacking player, with the referee there to keep the game flowing as much as possible. You couldn’t argue that Liverpool weren’t prepared and it was a needless free kick to give in the first place, although Kane is so good at teasing those fouls out of the opposition. On the balance of play as well you have to say that Tottenham deserved at least a point from the game, but the late own goal keeps the tension up at the top of the table. Neutrals will be glad about that but it makes Tottenham’s grip on a top-four place more precarious.