It seems like the ref will always give a free kick if an opposing player has the cheek to even breathe in the direction of the goalkeeper when they go up for the ball, so it was surprising that Craig Pawson decided to let this go.
It might be the latest example of the ref refusing to be decisive because they know they have VAR to fall back on, but it just created more anger in this case.
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Firmino’s strike was eventually ruled out, but David de Gea and his teammates completely lost it with Pawson when he initially awarded it:
Goldbridge Commentary on De Gea rage ???
? @UtdJustin pic.twitter.com/jZghL2T9Bi
— Goldbridge World™ (@GoldbridgeWorld) January 19, 2020
Goal Disallowed. Angriest I’ve ever seen De Gea #MUNLIV pic.twitter.com/UIGmdLeOwQ
— ? (@UtdJustin) January 19, 2020
You can’t justify the players behaving like this but it is also a reaction to a referee who shows no ability to be decisive or control the game.
It looks like the United players were desperate to find a way to take out their anger on someone else as they look utterly inferior to Liverpool, but this was a pretty ugly scene for the Premier League