Chief refereeing officer Howard Webb has outlined why Benjamin Šeško’s strike in Manchester United’s 3–2 win over Liverpool remained valid despite footage that appears to show the ball brushing the striker’s hand.

Liverpool goalkeeper Freddie Woodman parried a header into Šeško and the ball appeared to brush the forward’s hand before rolling into the net. VAR carried out a lengthy review but the on-field decision was not overturned for handball.

Webb said the replay material suggested contact but stressed that VAR must reach a level of certainty to intervene. “The clip speaks for itself. I think it probably does hit the hand,” Webb told Match Officials Mic’d Up. “But of course, the VAR need that conclusivity. They need to be absolutely certain that it does.

“It doesn’t matter what we think, it’s what they think. We do ask them to be sure that something needs acting on. Certainly Šeško doesn’t deliberately handle this, he doesn’t make himself big. It’s all very natural.

“But of course, the laws of the game require any goal that comes off the hand from the player who scores immediately, the goal needs to be disallowed. That means the VAR has no option but to start looking for that.

“Sometimes it looks like they’re being too forensic and you hear the VAR looking from various angles. They want to get it right, if it does conclusively come off the arm. But they don’t get to that level of certainty.

“They probably think it does [hit Šeško’s hand] as well, but they need to be absolutely categorical to get involved. They couldn’t find it. That’s why the on-field decision stood.”

Liverpool manager Arne Slot criticised VAR after the game and Webb’s remarks are likely to increase frustration. “If it was a touch, which I think it is, in a ball sport it has a certain curve and it changes it must be a contact, then we should have a debate if that is enough to disallow a goal,” Slot fumed after the defeat.

Liverpool face a defensive crossroads this summer with Ibrahima Konaté’s future unresolved. The Frenchman has hinted at a contract extension, but a recent report suggested talks remain at a stalemate and a renewal looks increasingly unlikely. If Konaté departs for free, the Reds would be left with Virgil van Dijk, the injury-prone Joe Gomez and the youngsters Giovanni Leoni and Jérémy Jacquet as specialist options, creating a clear need for reinforcements.

Micky van de Ven: The 25-year-old Tottenham defender combines speed, physicality and a left foot that would interest Liverpool. His Premier League experience and athletic profile would be an immediate upgrade for a defence in need of consistency, though he would likely command a significant fee.

Luka Vušković: Tottenham own the 19-year-old centre back, who has spent this season on loan at Hamburg. Vušković made 29 appearances, scored six goals, won Rookie of the Month four times and earned Bundesliga Goal of the Month in December for a scorpion kick. His composure, physicality and aerial threat make him a highly rated prospect and an expensive target.

Jan Paul van Hecke: A fully fledged Netherlands international, the 25-year-old has grown into a ball-playing centre back at Brighton & Hove Albion. Brighton have conceded fewer than nearly all Premier League sides this term in part because of van Hecke, who also offers set-piece threat with six goal involvements in the league this season.

Marcos Senesi: Bournemouth’s 29-year-old would represent a cost-effective option, available on a free transfer. Senesi led Bournemouth defensively with 11.4 defensive contributions per 90, the second most among centre backs, and ranks among the division’s leaders for goal involvements and accurate passes per 90.

Castello Lukeba: The 23-year-old left-footed France international has made 28 appearances for RB Leipzig this season. His pace when tracking runners, strength and passing accuracy present a complete profile, and reports link him with a Leipzig exit.

António Silva: The 22-year-old Portugal international has 20 caps and 181 appearances for Benfica. With his contract expiring in 2027 and a renewal looking unlikely, Benfica are reportedly open to a cut-price exit.

Joel Ordóñez: The 22-year-old centre back has impressed at Club Brugge this decade, recently making his 125th appearance for the Belgian side.

Each option presents a different balance of experience, cost and immediate readiness as Liverpool prepare for a summer where centre-back recruitment looks essential.

Liverpool face a genuine risk of losing Ibrahima Konaté as a free agent when his contract expires next month after a fresh report painted a worrying picture. Publicly, Konaté has suggested he wanted to extend his stay; in November he said matters would be resolved “very soon,” and last month he described a new deal as “close” to being agreed and that there is a “big chance” he stays.

That optimism has not produced an agreement. The Athletic’s David Ornstein, speaking on NBC Sports, said the situation is “still at a stalemate.” With time running out, he added, “It’s not looking particularly positive.” Talks have not been formally terminated and both club and player remain open to a resolution. “Until either side walks away there is still hope that they could reach a positive conclusion for him to stay at Anfield.”

If Konaté departs, Liverpool could enter the summer with Virgil van Dijk, about to turn 35 and going into the last year of his contract, Giovanni Leoni, 19 and coming back from an ACL injury, and Joe Gomez as the only recognised centre-backs in the first-team squad. That scenario would heighten a need for central defensive reinforcements that already existed.

On balance, Konaté’s potential exit increases Liverpool’s priority for centre-back depth more than the requirement to replace Mohamed Salah. The draft suggests Liverpool arguably need a Mohamed Salah replacement less than they do centre-back depth. Salah’s departure could, the reporting adds, be the factor that releases Florian Wirtz from the Egyptian’s long shadow after his debut season at Anfield, where he struggled for influence.

For Liverpool, the immediate focus remains clear: resolve Konaté’s future or prepare to recruit at centre-back. The coming weeks will determine whether a compromise is reached or the club must adjust its transfer plans ahead of the summer.