The Liverpool match against Tottenham has certainly made an impact. It has sent ripples throughout the league for the many unfair decisions that Liverpool were affected by, eventually leading to their 2-1 loss.
The team had a Luiz Diaz goal wrongfully checked as offside by the match officials, due to ‘human error’. Also, two Liverpool players, Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota, were sent off in the match. Many have now called on the PGMOL to respond to the unfair decisions, and they have now done so.
What punishment did VAR officials get after Liverpool vs. Tottenham controversy?
The main issue is the goal wrongfully given as offside, which was later admitted as a mistake by PGMOL, who have released an apology statement. The main mistake was down to human error, as there was miscommunication among the on-pitch referee and VAR officials.
VAR referee Darren England and his assistant Dan Cook were the officials involved in the error. They have both been suspended for their next games, including tonight’s game between Nottingham Forest and Brentford. This is standard procedure for anytime a match official is involved in an error.
PGMOL’s statement read, “Darren England and Dan Cook have been replaced for the Nottingham Forest v Brentford and Fulham v Chelsea matches. Craig Pawson will now assume England’s duties as 4th official at City Ground, while Eddie Smart will take over from Cook as assistant ref at Craven Cottage.”
The two also officiated a match 48 hours before the Liverpool-Tottenham game in the UAE. There is talk that they must have been experiencing fatigue from the overseas long flight journey. The whole thing however was ratified and approved by the PGMOL.
Both Darren England and Dan Cook can still return to officiating after the two matches, which may raise questions about the PGMOL.
What action did Liverpool take after receiving PGMOL’s apology?
Liverpool have already received the apology from the PGMOL and have promptly responded. Their statement read, “Liverpool Football Club acknowledges PGMOL’s admission of their failures last night. It is clear that the correct application of the laws of the game did not occur, resulting in sporting integrity being undermined.”
“In the meantime, we will explore the range of options available, given the clear need for escalation and resolution.”
The Merseyside club has also asked the PGMOL to hand over the audio recordings of the referees during the whole incident. They want to analyze what went wrong and then use it to pursue any further action. If they want to go for legal action, they have to prove any fraud, corruption or bias in the case.
It remains to be seen what further actions will be taken by the two entities, as the controversial match has impacted the integrity of the beautiful game in the Premier League. It is clear that a drastic change of the rules and regulations need to happen, as this is not the first time a wrong decision has been given.
For now, Liverpool will focus on their match against Union Saint-Gilloise on Thursday as part of their Europa League campaign.
