Liverpool’s campaign finally clicked into gear on Friday night at Portman Road, where a ruthless double strike from Alexander Isak inside the opening ten minutes propelled Andoni Iraola’s side to a comfortable 2-0 victory over Ipswich Town. The win handed the Reds their first three points of the 2026/27 Premier League season, easing early-season pressure after frustrating draws against Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest.
However, despite securing the result, the post-match discourse has been entirely dominated by refereeing controversy. Liverpool’s margin of victory could—and perhaps should—have been even wider were it not for a glaring first-half penalty incident that has left former officials utterly bewildered.
Keith Hackett Slams VAR After Gakpo Penalty Appeal Ignored
The flashpoint occurred during the first half when Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo drove into the penalty area, only to be caught late by Ipswich defender Abdul Fatawu. Referee Darren England immediately waved away the appeals, and much to the disbelief of the traveling supporters and coaching staff, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) opted not to intervene or send the official to the pitchside monitor.
The decision has sparked fierce debate across the footballing world, drawing a scathing critique from former PGMOL chief and FIFA referee Keith Hackett. Speaking candidly to Football Insider, Hackett did not mince words regarding the blunder, labeling it a blatant failure of the review system.
“This is a nailed-on penalty kick decision,” Hackett stated.
“The Ipswich player is so late with his foul challenge that I cannot believe that the referee has not pointed to the penalty mark. I understand that the PROref organisation want to see less interference by VAR. However, this non-award of a penalty kick by the referee meets the criteria for a clear and obvious error. VAR should have intervened.”
While the missed penalty ultimately did not cost Liverpool the match thanks to Isak’s clinical early brace, the controversy has once again thrust the consistency of VAR protocols into the spotlight, raising fresh questions about transparency and decision-making thresholds in the Premier League.
Bradley Barcola Makes Instant Impact on Debut
Aside from the officiating controversy, Friday night’s fixture provided Liverpool fans with their first glimpse of marquee summer signing Bradley Barcola. Following his blockbuster £123 million switch from Paris Saint-Germain, the French winger was handed a 30-minute cameo off the bench to test his fitness and start integrating into Iraola’s tactical framework.
Despite having played zero competitive minutes since the World Cup, Barcola made an instant impression. He showcased electric pace on the counter-attack, even recording the fastest top speed of any player in the Premier League so far this season during his brief time on the pitch.
Reflecting on the debutant’s performance after the match, Iraola praised the winger’s explosive potential while noting that the club must manage his workload carefully as he builds full match sharpness.
“I think Bradley hadn’t played a single minute since the World Cup so we needed to be careful,” Iraola explained.
“I think he is training well, in a good place, and I think that he has helped us. Probably, we haven’t found him in a couple of situations where I think he was going against the ‘keeper, but we haven’t really seen his movements. And also he has had a very good counter, very good passing side that I think Cody finished, but we didn’t score. But he was always a threat, you know? When he carries the ball, I think you can feel this threat and I’m happy because I think 30 minutes is going to be good for his fitness, for his build-up, and we will continue because now we play a lot of games, so he will have a chance to play more.”
With their domestic account now officially opened and a high-profile Champions League opening fixture looming against Atletico Madrid at Anfield on Wednesday, September 9, Liverpool appear to be finding their stride. Yet, as the echoes of Friday night’s penalty controversy demonstrate, the conversations surrounding refereeing consistency will likely continue to trail the Reds every step of the way.
