In a dramatic twist, Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat to Tottenham in the Premier League had the soccer world buzzing as the VAR (video assistant referee) came under scrutiny once again. The match was marred by a significant VAR error that disallowed a Luis Diaz goal for offside, leading to widespread criticism and a harsh response from Liverpool.
The crucial moment came in the 34th minute, when Luis Diaz looked to have put Liverpool ahead. However, VAR referees Darren England and assistant Dan Cook were unable to overturn the decision on the pitch, incorrectly considering that Díaz was offside. Static images showed that Díaz was in fact offside, thanks to Tottenham defender Cristian Romero, who touched him. That mistake came at a crucial moment, with Liverpool already down to 10 men due to Curtis Jones’ controversial red card.
Liverpool’s frustration was palpable, with manager Jurgen Klopp expressing his dismay at the “most unfair circumstances” and “crazy decisions” that marred the game. Premier League officials were not alone in their criticism, with former England striker Alan Shearer describing the VAR error as “incomprehensible”.
The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), the referees’ regulatory body, admitted that the disallowed goal was a “significant human error”. Although the correct procedure was followed for the offside decision, a lapse in concentration led to the wrong result. Since then, the PGMOL has suspended the work of the VAR referees until the end of the weekend.
Liverpool responded to the controversy with a statement, saying that “sporting integrity has been damaged”. The club called for a review with “full transparency” and criticized the characterization of the error as a “significant human error”. They emphasized the need for improvements in the VAR’s processes to avoid such situations in the future.
Gary Neville, former Manchester United and England defender, commented on Liverpool’s statement, warning against vague and aggressive language. However, Liverpool remain steadfast in their quest for justice, leaving no stone unturned in their attempt to resolve what they consider to be a grave injustice.
Although the spotlight is on VAR’s latest error, the incident has reignited the debate about the role of technology in the game. Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk expressed his loss of faith in VAR after the costly refereeing error.