Liverpool on receiving end of 'worst VAR decision ever' in Champions League as Rio Ferdinand left bewildered

The Uruguay international was at the forefront of every Liverpool attack and was pushing to try and double his side's lead when he went down in the box under pressure from Willi Orban.

Referee Slavko Vincic was adamant that no foul was committed despite Nunez flopping to the floor.

The Uruguayan and the rest of the Liverpool players were in disbelief and were hopeful of VAR coming to their aid.

However, officials Massimiliano Irrati and Jure Praprotnik in the VAR room quickly agreed with the on-field decision and instructed Vincic to play on.

Liverpool fans made their feelings clear on social media as they berated the officials for the decision.

One message read: "That's one of the worst decisions I've seen from VAR and clear trip in the box on Nunez there."

Another posted: "No doubt another apology coming to Liverpool in what is probably the worst VAR decision this season."

A third fumed: "VAR robbing Liverpool again!!"

One other wrote: "How can VAR not overrule the ref and give that penalty for Nunez? Bizarre decision."

Another said: "What is the point in referees and VAR... Shocking."

Ferdinand was similarly perplexed as to how Liverpool were denied what appeared to be a clear penalty.

"This is definitely a penalty," he said on TNT Sport.

"I don't know how VAR have looked at this and gone, 'nope, play on'. I do not know.

"When you see this in slow-mo, there's contact. VAR would have seen that angle and they've said no. I cannot believe it."

Steve McManaman agreed in the studio and praised Nunez for his work in getting to the ball first.

"Of course it's a penalty," he said.

"There's the contact. Again, Darwin Nunez works hard and made that penalty himself or what we suspect should have been a penalty.

"He does that himself just by hard work and running and chasing down lost causes."