Cody Gakpo questioned over what he did in West Ham United draw v Liverpool
Stephen Warnock has questioned why Cody Gakpo did not put the ball in the net in a contentious incident during the West Ham versus Liverpool game.
Gakpo had the opportunity to fire home after Alphonse Areola chucked the ball in his direction, wrongly thinking a free-kick has been awarded to West Ham.
The Dutchman turned to the referee to check if play was active, at which point Anthony Taylor blew his whistle and then awarded a free-kick to the Irons.
Referee Dermot Gallagher described the incident as “a mess” and confirmed there would have been nothing the officials could have done had Gakpo gone ahead and scored.
Reacting to the incident on Sky Sports News [29 April, 11:10am], Warnock said: “I don’t know why he almost turned around and asked the referee ‘can I put it in?’.
“Just put it in and then ask the question after. If he’d have put it in, the referee is in a whole lot of trouble.
“But the fact Gakpo slows and looks at the referee, it puts a doubt into Anthony Taylor’s mind – he knows he’s got a real problem on his hands and has to blow.”
West Ham hold Liverpool to London Stadium draw
Had Gakpo put the ball in the net to give Liverpool a late lead, there would have been carnage at London Stadium.
It would have been incredibly unsporting, and an unfit way to likely win the contest, but thankfully that was avoided.
Gakpo does deserve credit in one sense for not just firing home, but he knew deep down that this was simply a misunderstanding from Areola.
The West Ham keeper thought a free-kick had been awarded, rather than advantage. There was no advantage, so the referee was able to blow.
Had the shoe been on the other foot and Jarrod Bowen, say, had the chance to put past Alisson, every United fan would have urged him to do so.
It will be interesting to hear Gakpo’s thoughts on the incident, though TNT Sports strangely decided not to ask him about it.
This proved to be the final talking point in an entertaining game that lifted some of the gloom above London Stadium.
In other West Ham news, a BBC Sport pundit was blown away by the performance of one United player against Liverpool.
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