Benjamin Henrichs looked to handle the ball in stoppage time (Pictures: Getty / BT Sport)

Manchester City appear to have been denied a clear handball in the dying seconds of their Champions League last-16 , first-leg draw with RB Leipzig which ex-referee Peter Walton claims was not even checked by VAR.

The reigning Premier League champions gave an assured first-half performance in Germany and took the lead through Riyad Mahrez, but the hosts grew into the match in the second half and levelled through defender Josko Gvardiol from a corner.

City had felt the Croatian had fouled Ruben Dias and used him as leverage, though the goal was given, and they were even more aggrieved in the final minute of added time when an apparent handball from Benjamin Henrichs was missed by the officials.

The City players and manager Pep Guardiola all appealed but the full-time whistle was blown just moments later, with Walton revealing he has access to the VAR communications and the incident was not looked at.

‘From the angles that we’re all seeing here, I thought there was a handball offence there,’ said the former Premier League referee on BT Sport.

‘The arm is in an unnatural position for that phase of play, the ball clearly strikes [his hands] from the angles that we’re seeing. But the VAR did not check it.

‘I have a monitor linked with UEFA that tells me when VAR are checking incidents and this particular incident was not checked and I’m surprised it wasn’t.