Ibrahima Konate's disallowed goal 'should have been awarded' for Liverpool against Galatasaray according to Steve McManaman

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Liverpool were lucky to leave Istanbul with only a one-goal deficit after losing 1-0 to Galatasaray in the UEFA Champions League round of 16. The second leg sees The Reds host the Turkish club at Anfield on March 18. Arne Slot's side thought they had equalised in the second half, only for Ibrahima Konate to be caught for a handball, but Steve McManaman believes it should have stood.

Liverpool should have been awarded the goal - McManaman

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TNT Sports pundit Steve McManaman believes that Liverpool "should have" been awarded a goal in the second half against Galatasaray.

Arne Slot's side were dealt a 1-0 loss in the first leg of their UEFA Championns League game against Galatasaray.

But the club were denied an equaliser by VAR after Ibrahima Konate was judged to have handled the ball.

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The disallowed goal came from a messy scramble at a corner as several players from both sides, including Galatasaray goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir, rose for the ball and, following an aerial skirmish, saw it bounce into the back of the net.

A VAR check followed and deemed that Konate was at fault for handball but replays show that the ball actually touched several players after his involvement and his was not the final touch for the goal.

"I think Liverpool should have been awarded the goal," McManaman said. "Konate goes up, it brushes his hands onto Davinson Sanchez's head. But the ball then hits the goalkeeper and it's going away from goal."

Highlights: Galatasaray stun Liverpool in fiery Istanbul showdown

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"It actually hits Virgil van Dijk. Sanchez onto the goalkeeper's leg, then onto Van Dijk's heel, back onto the goalkeeper's backside, then it spins into the net.

"So, actually, accidentally brushing off Konate's it doesn't go directly into the goal. It probably should have stood."

The Reds fell behind in the first half after Mario Lemina headed in from a corner, piling more set piece woes on Slot.

Liverpool scuppered several early chances and Galatasaray scored with what was their first real attack on the visitor's defence.

The hosts had the chance to go up 2-0 and Victor Osimhen buried his shot after a humiliating mistake for Konate, but Liverpool were lucky to see the goal ruled out thanks to an offside call in the build-up against Baris Yilmaz.

It was a night to forget for the French defender and he was lucky that Giorgi Mamardashvili, playing in lieu of the injured Alisson Becker, managed to produce some critical saves.

It was ultimately a below-par showing for Slot's side, leaving them with the task of securing a dominant win at home to safely sail through to the next round.

Despite believing the goal should have stood, McManaman said that a draw would have been potentially unfair on the Istanbul club, with Liverpool playing far from well enough to earn a draw.

"Saying that, I don't think Liverpool actually deserved a draw because they need to liven up. At Anfield they have to be infinitely better than they were tonight. They will be, because the crowd will go crazy. It wasn't good enough tonight."

Despite that, Slot should consider his side lucky that they managed to leave Istanbul with just a one-goal deficit, which they can overcome with the Anfield atmosphere behind them. They host the Turkish side in a week's time on March 18 for the second leg.

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