October 03, (THEWILL) – The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), has released the audio that led to Luis Diaz’s goal being wrongly disallowed by VAR in Liverpool’s recent defeat at Tottenham. The decision proved critical in the match, as Spurs went on to win 2-1.
VAR official, Darren England and his assistant, Daniel Cook, failed to overturn the incorrect on-field call of offside after Diaz had scored. PGMOL acknowledged “standards fell short of expectations” and admitted it was an error.
Both England and Cook have been taken off this weekend’s English Premier League fixtures. PGMOL says it will now stress the importance of accuracy over efficiency with VARs and improve communication between officials.
Premier League bosses have held talks with Liverpool about the fiasco. They accept there were “human errors and systemic weaknesses” and a fuller review of VAR standards will now take place.
The Reds clearly feel aggrieved to have dropped points due to poor officiating. Manager Jurgen Klopp, Reds’ fans and the entire following of English football hope lessons are learned so that teams are not denied by dubious VAR calls again this season.
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.
