**Controversy Erupts as United Strike Early Against Liverpool** Referee Michael Oliver faced scrutiny during Manchester United's Premier League clash against Liverpool on Sunday. The match saw United take a controversial lead just one minute in, thanks to Bryan Mbeumo's goal. However, the incident leading to the goal raised questions about player safety and officiating. As Mbeumo's low strike found the net, Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister was on the ground, clutching his head after a collision involving three players. Sky Sports commentator Peter Drury noted, "What we are getting from the Match Centre is that the referee didn't see the injury and was therefore obviously not able to stop the game." Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher expressed his discontent, stating, "He was down holding his head." According to the FA's laws of the game, play should be halted if a referee believes a player has sustained a head injury. Following treatment, Mac Allister, 26, was seen wearing a protective helmet. Mbeumo, who scored the goal, was also involved in the collision but emerged unscathed, capitalising on Liverpool's defensive errors. The situation was further compounded for Liverpool when Oliver dismissed a penalty appeal for an alleged handball by Amad. VAR reviewed the incident and upheld the referee's decision. A post from the Premier League's Match Centre stated, "The referee's call of no penalty was checked and confirmed by VAR – with it deemed that Amad's arm was in a natural and justifiable position." Gary Neville, also on commentary, remarked, "Amad has his arm in the position that referees give penalties for. But it hits his other arm. He just needs to keep his arms down." As the match progressed, United nearly doubled their lead when Bruno Fernandes struck the post. However, Liverpool began to assert themselves, with Alexander Isak forcing a smart save from United's goalkeeper Senne Lammens. The home side came close to equalising, hitting the post twice as they sought to level the score. The match highlighted ongoing concerns regarding player safety and the consistency of officiating in high-stakes games, leaving both teams and their supporters with much to discuss in the aftermath.