Liverpool have climbed back to the top of the Premier League after their 2-1 win over Chelsea in Anfield this afternoon.
In what was Arne Slot's biggest outing yet in Anfield, talisman Salah got the Dutchman his first goal when he struck home a beautiful penalty in the first half-hour.
Chelsea came racing back out of the traps in the second half with Nicolas Jackson drawing the affair level, however, Liverpool wasted no time clapping back with Curtis Jones claiming the winner less than five minutes later.
While Jones eventually stole the headlines with his 51st-minute winner, the midfielder had found himself front and centre of a controversial penalty decision just before the break when Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez appeared to take him out in the box.
While on the field a penalty was awarded immediately, a VAR intervention saw the decision overturned and Liverpool denied a second penalty, a decision which led to a very interesting piece of commentary from none other than Mike Dean.
"I don't think this goalkeeper gets enough of the ball" 👀@carra23 says the penalty decision could have gone either way 🗣 pic.twitter.com/6zII6s1YAD
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 20, 2024
Mike Dean lambasted for Curtis Jones 180
While as a former Premier League referee Dean is no stranger to controversy, his quick change of mind on Sunday's penalty decision left fans puzzled, in what seems to be a recurring trend for the Tranmere Rovers fan.
Mike Dean was on commentary duty for Sky Sports when the original replay of the incident left him convinced that Sanchez had wiped out Jones and that a penalty was the only call needed.
He's got the slightest touch on the ball, but momentum has carried him through and he's completely wiped out Jones.
However, in as quick a fashion as he made the call, Dean wasted no time rowing it back when he learned it was the subject of a VAR review.
Plays the ball first. Momentum is always going to take him (Sanchez) into him (Jones).
It looks untidy but when you see the replay there's going to be an inevitable coming together. Because Sanchez played the ball first onto him, it will definitely be overturned.
While typically a commentator might be forgiven for a shift in opinion, Dean's ever-reliable backing of the referee's decision left fans fuming, with Matt Le Tissier chiming in on the former referee's 'flip-flopping'.
Just heard the worst bit of flip flopping on commentary by Mike Dean surrounding that penalty. Embarrassing Mike 🤦🏻♂️
— Matt Le Tissier ✝️ (@mattletiss7) October 20, 2024
Le Tissier was joined by a host of other fans who are quickly growing tired of Dean's contributions: 'Mike Dean fully changing his opinion based on the penalty being referred to VAR is so funny. Genuinely unbelievable that we are forced to listen to him.'
"Mike Dean just on Sky comms to agree with every decision the ref makes I assume?"
"Mike Dean literally said it was a penalty then listened to the live VAR overturn then disagreed with himself"
Mike Dean with the biggest 180 you will ever see in football.
Absolute muppet.— george (@StokeyyG2) October 20, 2024
It's fair to say that as Dean's post-refereeing career continues, there remains little love lost between him and Premier League fans.
