Ben Foster shares what Alexis Mac Allister should have done to ‘guarantee’ a penalty vs Man City

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The controversial fallout from Liverpool’s draw against Manchester City has continued into this week.

The Reds felt they should have had a penalty in the dying seconds of injury time after Alexis Mac Allister was brought down by a high boot from City forward Jeremey Doku. With no time at all left, a penalty would have given Liverpool the chance to win the game. But despite it feeling at least worth a second look from referee Michael Oliver, he waved it away. Nothing given.

Many have felt that it was a huge mistake from Oliver. However, speaking on his Cycling GK podcast, former England goalkeeper Ben Foster says that Mac Allister could have done more to ensure his side got the spot-kick.

“The ball drops down and Doku at this moment in time I’m thinking ‘do not let that ball bounce.’ He lets it bounce,” Foster explains. “At that point I’m looking at Mac Allister and I’m thinking ‘right mate, you are going to have to take one for the team here. If you just run, full speed into that ball, get the first contact, Jeremy Doku is going to kick you and it’s going to be a penalty, simple as that.’

“Mac Allister can see it as well, so he runs and I’m thinking ‘yes mate, go on, take one, even if you get one in the face, just take one.’ He goes and sort of takes one but not really. He turns a little bit. Doku, as expected, follows through with the high clearance, half gets the ball but follows through with the studs into his chest.

“I just feel that if Mac Allister would have ran almost face first into it it and took one in the face or chest like he would have done, it would have been a guaranteed penalty. The fact that he kind of turned a little bit gave the referee a bit of an out.”

Oliver unconvinced by Mac Allister shout

A lot of Liverpool supporters perhaps won’t agree with Foster here. They’ll feel it shouldn’t have needed anything extra from Mac Allister, it was a penalty regardless.

But in fairness, we actually think the former goalkeeper’s assessment is absolutely spot on.

Some will argue that it shouldn’t need Mac Allister to take a boot in the face or high in the chest to warrant a penalty. And that may be right. But the fact is that the Argentine does go into the challenge a little half-heartedly.

This leads to a little bit of a scramble for the ball, with it being a touch unclear who’s getting the touches on it.

Had Mac Allister come through full throttle and made sure he won the ball cleanly, Doku would have absolutely taken him out. From there, there would surely have been no debate.

This obviously isn’t a criticism of Mac Allister. The 25-year-old was absolutely superb all game long and showed nerves of steel to bring Liverpool level from 12 yards earlier in the game.

It isn’t easy to go face first into a flying boot and he shouldn’t be chastised for not doing so. At the same time though, Foster’s point remains true.

Others will blatantly disagree, but we don’t actually think it was a penalty. It was too much of a coming together to be called clearly. Had Macca taken everything of the ball though, it would have been a different story.