VAR officials involved in Liverpool error not selected for weekend games

PGMOL announced on Sunday that Darren England and his VAR assistant Dan Cook had been replaced for their games last Sunday and Monday and the pair will have no involvement in this weekend’s matches.

Luis Diaz of Liverpool reacts after a goal was ruled offside during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on September 30, 2023 in London, England. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) officials involved when Liverpool was wrongly denied a goal in Saturday’s 2-1 Premier League defeat at Tottenham Hotspur have not been included for this weekend in the list of officials released on Tuesday.

The referees’ body, Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), admitted it was the wrong decision to disallow Luis Diaz’s effort, blaming human error, and “should have resulted in the goal being awarded through VAR intervention”.

PGMOL announced on Sunday that Darren England and his VAR assistant Dan Cook had been replaced for their games last Sunday and Monday in the wake of the controversy, and the pair will have no involvement in this weekend’s matches.

Liverpool released a statement on Sunday saying it was clear the rules of the game were not applied correctly, which undermined sporting integrity, adding that it would explore the options available for resolution.

The on-field referee from the Liverpool game, Simon Hooper, and the fourth official, Michael Oliver, have both been selected for weekend duties.