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Manchester City

Manchester United

Liverpool

Arsenal

Chelsea

Other

Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues below<script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script><ul><li>Liverpool drew with City in fierce battle</li><li>Late penalty decision went Cityzens' way</li><li>Walker slammed after backing referee for showing "character"</li></ul>

'115 charges loading' - Fans rage at Kyle Walker after Man City star praises referee Michael Oliver and defends decision not to award Liverpool a penalty

Premier League

Tottenham

Southampton

The two Premier League titans came head-to-head in <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/liverpool-player-ratings-vs-man-city-luis-diaz-alexis-mac-allister/blt525b3ef213e0f90c" target="_blank">a fiercely contested battle that went to the wire</a> on Sunday evening, with goals from John Stones and Alexis Mac Allister setting up a tense finale. It was Liverpool that pushed for a winner and they appeared to have done enough to win a penalty in the last minute. However, <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/alex-mac-allister-response-jeremy-doku-tackle-question-referee-michael-oliver-missed-penalty/blt47db7131d433bc04" target="_blank">Jeremy Doku's high challenge on Mac Allister</a> was somehow deemed a fair challenge by referee Oliver, <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/liverpool-robbed-michael-oliver-accused-man-city-bias-failing-penalty-jeremy-doku-challenge-injury-time/bltd94eca25dedf36bf" target="_blank">leading to natural uproar from the Reds fanbase</a>.And those supporters have been angered again after City defender Walker doubled down on praise for the match official in a recent interview, lauding Oliver for not "crumbling" under the Anfield pressure.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Asked by <a href="https://twitter.com/SkySportsPL/status/1767219067201429827?s=20" target="_blank">Sky Sports</a> for his thoughts on the late decision that went in City's favour, Walker said: "My view is the referee and the VAR have made a decision on what it is. I feel that the ref reffed it really, really well, I feel once you have Anfield and the crowd behind him, he [Oliver] could've crumbled. But that shows his experience and his character, and is why he's regarded as probably one of the best referees in this country and in the world at the minute."Pressed on whether he thought it should've been a penalty, the full-back added: "Listen, it's probably not up [to] me to say if I do think it's a pen, if I say it's not a pen [there'd be] headlines, if I say it is a pen then [there'd be] headlines. So the VAR's checked it, the ref's done it, that's all I'm going to say on that."

WHAT WALKER SAID

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">"He could've crumbled but that shows his experience, that shows his character" Kyle Walker praises Michael Oliver's professionalism over Liverpool's penalty decision ❌ <a href="https://t.co/Kvb9QiAIMg">pic.twitter.com/Kvb9QiAIMg</a>— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/SkySportsPL/status/1767219067201429827?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

WATCH THE CLIP

After such frank comments about a questionable performance from Oliver - who also allowed Stones' goal to stand despite Nathan Ake potentially affecting play from an offside position - Liverpool supporters haven't held back in their abuse at Walker.X user <a href="https://twitter.com/Khaya_LFC/status/1767223802306363482" target="_blank">@Khaya_LFC</a> labelled it a "weird interview" and trolled Walker for getting "cooked by [Luis] Diaz" in said match. Another user, <a href="https://twitter.com/LFC92/status/1767225325681832240" target="_blank">@LFC92</a>, pointed out the Oliver did cave to the pressure, writing that "he literally crumbled and made the incorrect decision". Another more brutal comment pointed towards Walker's infidelity allegations, with <a href="https://twitter.com/RadiantL1ght1/status/1767226114567532549" target="_blank">@RadiantL1ght11</a> saying "A cheater praises cheating what a surprise". Lastly, City's reported Financial Fair Play (FFP) breaches were inevitably brought up, with <a href="https://twitter.com/connelpounds/status/1767221606005326124" target="_blank">@connelpounds</a> writing “115 charges loading” and <a href="https://twitter.com/PHPetosquare/status/1767219325465694541" target="_blank">@PHPetosquare</a> stating "City ain't beating the allegations".

WHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

Football can be a fickle sport and fans are often eager to point out situations were opposition teams have a systemic advantage, such as Liverpool fans' references to cheating and City's FFP charges.However, it was less than a week ago when there was significant <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/darwin-nunez-winning-goal-disallowed-nottingham-forest-liverpool/blt5e2023fc5052de73" target="_blank">uproar over Paul Tierney's decision</a> to hand possession back to Liverpool before <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/liverpool-player-ratings-vs-nottingham-forest-cody-gakpo-darwin-nunez/blt956d51d9ddcbb3f6" target="_blank">Darwin Nunez's last-minute winner</a> against Nottingham Forest. While fans fight the eternal battle of the game being "rigged" against them, decisions like these actually demonstrate the dire state of officiating in the Premier League at the moment. Significant changes for matches at the highest level are needed, and fast.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

After a pulsating match against two of the country's best sides, it was Arsenal who came out on top as they <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/arsenal-player-ratings-brentford-kai-havertz-aaron-ramsdale/bltbfe13cc9e37e6216#cscf8ba9a1574832e4" target="_blank">held on to top spot for the first time since before Christmas</a>. There will now be a break from league action ahead of FA Cup quarter-finals weekend, with City taking on Newcastle on Saturday before Liverpool face rivals Manchester United on Sunday.

WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL & CITY?

'115 charges loading' - Fans rage at Kyle Walker after Man City star praises referee Michael Oliver and defends decision not to award Liverpool a penalty | Goal.com English Saudi Arabia

Manchester City defender claims referee Michael Oliver showed &quot;character&quot; with his decisions against Liverpool that have since come under fire.

&apos;115 charges loading&apos; - Fans rage at Kyle Walker after Man City star praises referee Michael Oliver and defends decision not to award Liverpool a penalty