The Premier League has explained the referee and VAR decision-making process behind two big decisions in Liverpool’s 3-1 Boxing Day win against Leicester City.

The first came in the immediate aftermath of Curtis Jone ’ goal. The midfielder, playing his 100th Premier League game, brought a sense of calm to Anfield at the start of the second half when he tapped in Alexis Mac Allister ’s cross to give Liverpool a 2-1 lead in the 49th minute.

What had seemed like a straightforward goal was followed by a lengthy VAR check, which seemed to look at two possible offside calls in the build-up and handball claim against Jones. However, all three were adjudged not to be a foul and the goal, which was given by the referee, stood.

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Explaining the decision via its Match Centre account on X, the Premier League said: “The referee’s call of goal was checked and confirmed by the VAR as [ Mohamed] Salah was in an onside position in the build-up.”

Salah received the ball and passed to Mac Allister, who subsequently provided the assist for Jones to score his third goal of the season.

Soon after, there was a second controversial referee call when Cody Gakpo fired in what looked to be the third Liverpool goal. However, that was ruled out by the referee’s assistant, a decision that was upheld after a VAR check that lasted for 3 minutes and 14 seconds.

Again Salah was subject of one call and was again deemed to be onside after the lines were drawn. But it was Darwin Nunez who strayed just beyond the last defender when Salah fired a cross into the middle. The Uruguayan threw a hopeful leg at the ball before it rolled into the path of Gakpo.

Explaining that call, the Match Centre account wrote: “The referee’s call of no goal was checked and confirmed by the VAR as Nunez was in an offside position in the build-up.”

It mattered little though as Liverpool grabbed a third via Salah, who curled the ball sumptuously into the bottom corner following a quick breakaway. Gakpo had grabbed the first just before the break, on a night when Arne Slot's side had to come back from Jordan Ayew's early goal.

The win, coupled with Chelsea losing earlier in the day, means Liverpool sits top of the table by seven points and having played a game fewer than the chasing pack.