PGMOL said "significant human error" was behind Luis Diaz's goal being ruled out for Liverpool at Tottenham; VAR team mistakenly thought on-field decision had been to award goal; Liverpool: "We will explore the range of options available, given the clear need for escalation and resolution"
Monday 2 October 2023 14:47, UK
Liverpool have vowed to "explore the range of options available" after claiming sporting integrity was undermined after Luis Diaz's goal was ruled out against Tottenham for what the PGMOL described as "significant human error".
Diaz's goal against Spurs was incorrectly disallowed for offside after the VAR mistakenly believed the on-field decision had been to award the goal.
A Liverpool statement issued on Sunday evening read: "Liverpool Football Club acknowledges PGMOL's admission of their failures last night. It is clear that the correct application of the laws of the game did not occur, resulting in sporting integrity being undermined.
"We fully accept the pressures that match officials work under but these pressures are supposed to be alleviated, not exacerbated, by the existence and implementation of VAR.
"It is therefore unsatisfactory that sufficient time was not afforded to allow the correct decision to be made and that there was no subsequent intervention.
"That such failings have already been categorised as "significant human error" is also unacceptable. Any and all outcomes should be established only by the review and with full transparency.
"This is vital for the reliability of future decision making as it applies to all clubs with learnings being used to make improvements to processes in order to ensure this kind of situation cannot occur again.
"In the meantime, we will explore the range of options available, given the clear need for escalation and resolution."
According to Sky Sports News' Melissa Reddy, 'There is a big push for the remit of PGMOL's review to not solely be restricted to the VAR failings itself and how it happened, but to examine the appointment process of the officials given three of them - two central to the blunder - worked in the UAE 48 hours before the game.'
Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville has criticised Liverpool's response, branding it a "mistake".
Neville wrote on X: "Jurgen Klopp handled the situation well after the game. Most football fans will have had empathy with what happened and recognised it was wrong! However Liverpools statement tonight is a mistake! Talk of exploring all options (what does that mean!!!) and sporting integrity are dangerous phrases along with being vague and aggressive. Sorry was enough!! Sorry should be respected and not undervalued."
The PGMOL admitted immediately after Tottenham's 2-1 win that "a significant human error occurred" when Diaz's strike was ruled out, adding: "This was a clear and obvious factual error and should have resulted in the goal being awarded through VAR intervention."
It was initially believed that VAR Darren England had failed to check whether a Tottenham defender had played Diaz onside by drawing the on-screen lines.
But, in a remarkable twist, it later emerged the VAR incorrectly thought the on-field decision was that a goal had been awarded, when in fact it had not been.
This resulted in England, despite realising that Diaz was onside, relaying a message of 'check complete' and the goal being ruled out.
There was less than 40 seconds between Diaz's shot hitting the back of the net and play being restarted, while there was less than 10 seconds between TV viewers being shown a VAR review was taking place and the check being completed.
The score at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was 0-0 at the time, with Liverpool down to 10 players after Curtis Jones' red card.
To add insult to injury for Liverpool, Heung-Min Son scored Spurs' opener two minutes later, while a Joel Matip own goal in injury-time handed the hosts a 2-1 win.
On Sunday morning, PGMOL confirmed both England and Dan Cook, the assistant VAR for the Tottenham vs Liverpool match, have been stood down from their next matches.
England was due to be part of the officiating team at the City Ground on Sunday for Nottingham Forest's game against Brentford but was replaced by Craig Pawson.
Cook was set to be involved for Fulham's home game against Chelsea on Monday - live on Sky Sports - but Eddie Smart has taken his place.
It remains unknown when England and Cook first realised their mistake. Following England's message of 'check complete' to on-field referee Simon Hooper, the game restarted less than a minute after Diaz had scored his goal with a free-kick to Tottenham.
With the game 'live' again, it is thought that the VAR team felt unable to intervene.
The IFAB rules on VAR state play cannot be brought back in a case like this. Rule 10 says: "If play has stopped and been restarted, the referee may not undertake a 'review' except for a case of mistaken identity or for a potential sending-off offence relating to violent conduct, spitting, biting or extremely offensive, insulting and/or abusive action(s)."
"I'm pretty sure if you look at the ref's face they were thinking of taking the game back and say it was a goal," responded Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville on X.
"There is a moment where the ref looks sick! On the gantry (you can't see this at home) the VAR screen was locked on the offside decision whilst the game went on. They knew pretty much straight away but for some reason didn't go back or can't through rules go back!"
Fellow Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher added: "It's an horrendous mistake no matter how they did it. But if they knew just after the Spurs free-kick was taken that they'd made a huge mistake, it's nonsense they can't bring it back just because a free-kick has been taken."
Sky Sports senior reporter Melissa Reddy:
Referee's body PGMOL is facing increasing questions over the wisdom of allowing England and Cook to have worked in the United Arab Emirates on Thursday.
England was the VAR and Cook was the second assistant referee for Al Ain's victory over Sharjah, which took place just 48 hours before the Tottenham vs Liverpool match.
Michael Oliver - who was the fourth official in north London - was the referee for the game in the UAE.
Sky Sports News has been told an approach was made to the FA for the use of the trio and it was subsequently approved, with it not affecting their availability to be selected for Premier League fixtures.
It is understood Howard Webb, the head of PGMOL, sanctioned the trip.
The officials arrived back in London on Friday to prepare for VAR and fourth official duties, which - according to PGMOL - is routine for those who have had international appointments in midweek.
However, there has been criticism over the officials' workload and questions over whether it could lead to fatigue, especially as England and Cook had a further game to work this weekend before being dropped over their error.
