New footage raises fresh doubts over Van Dijk’s Brentford penalty decision

New footage shared on Reddit has reignited discussion surrounding a key moment from Liverpool’s 3–2 loss to Brentford. The new angle appears to show that the contact involving Virgil van Dijk actually occurred outside the penalty area.

Fresh Van Dijk angle raises doubts over VAR’s call

The clip, uploaded by user NEEZ8, shows Van Dijk’s challenge on Dango Ouattara from a wider viewpoint and seems to indicate that any contact happened just beyond the box.

That detail matters because referee Tim Robinson had initially awarded a free-kick before VAR upgraded it to a penalty — a decision that allowed Igor Thiago to score what became Brentford’s winning goal.

Liverpool were far from their best in west London, but this single decision proved pivotal.
Had the foul been ruled outside the area, the match might have ended 2–2, offering a real chance to regain momentum.

Former referee Mark Clattenburg previously stated that “Van Dijk clearly made contact with Ouattara’s foot on the line of the penalty area,” noting that the line “counts as part of the box.”
However, this newly surfaced footage has many fans questioning whether VAR’s interpretation was actually incorrect.

Liverpool’s frustrations with fine margins and VAR grow

Arne Slot has now seen his team lose four Premier League matches in a row — their worst streak since 2021. While the display against Brentford was below par, these narrow and often controversial decisions continue to go against Liverpool.

It wasn’t the only contentious call either, as Cody Gakpo’s penalty shout also stirred debate and helped shift the game’s momentum.

Liverpool have conceded two or more goals in nine of their last ten league fixtures, and until they start tightening up, it will be difficult to turn results around.

Still, when even fan-shared clips seem to contradict VAR’s verdict, it’s hard to shake the feeling that luck — and the officials — haven’t been on Liverpool’s side lately.