The Association of Professional English Football Referees (PGMOL) has admitted a “significant human error” which deprived Liverpool of a goal on Saturday in the 2-1 defeat at Tottenham, a decision which “changed the course of the match” according to coach Jürgen Klopp.
Liverpool, ten against eleven, scored in the 34th minute by Luis Diaz, but his goal was invalidated for an offside signaled by the referee and his assistants. Tottenham opened the scoring two minutes later.
“The PGMOL recognizes a significant human error” by the refereeing team on the field, she indicated after the game. “This was a clear and obvious factual error which should have resulted in the goal being awarded through the intervention of the VAR, but it did not intervene.” Asked about this communication, Jürgen Klopp responded at a press conference: “It doesn’t help, we didn’t have the points (for victory, editor’s note). It changed the course of the match.”
“They drew the line badly and did not judge well the moment when Mo (Mohamed Salah, editor’s note) passed the ball. It’s very difficult to take,” the Liverpool coach reacted on Sky Sports, losing 2-1 after a final goal conceded in added time. “VAR must be absolutely clear and obvious on every decision taken,” captain Virgin Van Dijk commented to the BBC. “I think on live TV, no lines were shown. It’s a bit strange, I don’t know who was in the VAR room and who made this decision,” said the Dutch defender.
Klopp also criticized the red card of Curtis Jones (26th), who according to him “slipped on the ball” before injuring an opponent, and the expulsion of Diogo Jota (69th), judging that the first warning received “did not was not a yellow card.