Liverpool’s Fiery Rebuttal to PGMOL Following Pricey VAR Blunder Against Tottenham
Liverpool has issued a compelling response to the PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) following a critical VAR error that took place during their recent clash with Tottenham Hotspur.
In an official statement released by Jurgen Klopp’s side, Liverpool addressed the PGMOL’s acknowledgment of a significant VAR blunder that occurred in the match, in which Luis Diaz’s goal was incorrectly disallowed for offside. The error stemmed from a misunderstanding, as the VAR system mistakenly believed that the on-field decision had been to award the goal.
After Tottenham’s 2-1 victory over Liverpool, the PGMOL admitted that “a significant human error occurred” when they ruled out Diaz’s goal, highlighting that it was a clear and obvious factual mistake that should have resulted in the goal being allowed through VAR intervention.
Initially, it was assumed that VAR official Darren England failed to check whether a Tottenham defender had played Diaz onside by using the on-screen lines. However, the PGMOL clarified that VAR incorrectly perceived the on-field decision as awarding the goal, leading England to announce “check complete” and the goal being disallowed, even though he realized that Diaz was onside.
In response to these revelations, Liverpool expressed their dissatisfaction with the explanation provided by the PGMOL. They pointed out that the decision was “unacceptable” and pledged to explore a “range of options available” to address the breach of sporting integrity.
Liverpool’s official statement read, “We fully acknowledge the pressures that match officials work under, but these pressures are meant to be eased, not exacerbated, by the existence and implementation of VAR. It is, therefore, unsatisfactory that sufficient time was not allowed for the correct decision to be made, and that there was no subsequent intervention.”
“The categorization of such failings as ‘significant human error’ is also deemed unacceptable. All outcomes should be established through comprehensive review and full transparency. This is crucial for the credibility of future decision-making and must apply to all clubs. The insights gained should be used to enhance processes and prevent the recurrence of such situations.”
“In the interim, we will explore the available options, given the evident need for escalation and resolution.”
The incident involving Diaz’s disallowed goal had a rapid sequence of events, with less than 40 seconds passing between the ball hitting the back of the net and the game resuming. Additionally, there was less than 10 seconds between TV viewers being informed of a VAR review and the completion of the check. Just two minutes after this incident, Heung-Min Son scored the game’s opening goal.