October 03, (THEWILL) – The Premier League have taken action following the controversial events of Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat away to Tottenham Hotspur in matchweek eight. VAR official, Darren England and his assistant, Dan Cook, have not been selected for officiating duties this coming weekend.
The decision comes after Luis Diaz saw an opening goal ruled out for offside, despite replays clearly showing he was played onside by defender Cristian Romero. Referee Simon Hooper awarded the goal before VAR England incorrectly told him to disallow it for offside. By the time the mistake was realised, play had already restarted so the decision could not be overturned.
Liverpool were understandably angry about the incident and have requested audio recordings between the match officials in order to understand what transpired. The English Premier League have agreed to provide the audio. In the meantime, England and Cook have been taken off fourth official duties for recent matches.
Hooper, who should have been made aware that the goal was valid, will act as VAR for Everton versus Bournemouth this weekend. Liverpool’s trip to Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday will see Anthony Taylor referee the match with Chris Kavanagh as VAR.
The removal of England and Cook from this weekend’s fixtures shows the EPL recognises the gravity of the errors made in Tottenham’s controversial win over Liverpool. More action may follow once the requested audio evidence has been reviewed.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
