A significant human error by the referees’ body PGMOL led to the disallowing of Liverpool winger Luis Diaz’s goal in the match against Tottenham Hotspur. The goal would have given Liverpool the lead, but at the time they were already down to nine men, and the decision added to their woes that day. The error occurred due to a possible lapse of focus and was acknowledged by PGMOL, who will conduct a full review. The VAR check happened quickly, with the customary offside graphic not being shown, but the lines were drawn according to normal procedure.
Former England striker Alan Shearer called the error incomprehensible and warned that it would put so much doubt in decisions that go on. The missed opportunity sparked controversy and drew a line under how VAR can affect football matches. It’s important for VAR referees to understand that they hold a lot of power and that there is no room for errors of this magnitude. Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said he is “losing faith” in VAR after the referees’ failure to intervene correctly in the game.
Although the PGMOL statement was made to acknowledge the human error that occurred, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp thought it didn’t help at all. He likened it to the apology Wolves received for the decision not to award a penalty in their match, but the apology didn’t change the fact that they didn’t get any points because of the missed call. Klopp declared that if changes are to be made, they should do so “properly.”
This incident highlights the pressure that referees are under to make decisions in a match, especially when there are multiple modes of technology in play. Football is all about the excitement and passion that comes along with it, and a human error like this one risks the very nature of football. Thus, VAR referees must be more vigilant, and technical issues must be handled properly
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