Luis Diaz's goal for Liverpool at Tottenham was mistakenly disallowed; PGMOL released the audio from the decision made by VAR officials Darren England and Dan Cook; Sky Sports News understands Premier League's stance remains unchanged - that a replay would not be considered
Thursday 5 October 2023 13:07, UK
Jurgen Klopp has called for Liverpool's match against Tottenham to be replayed after the VAR failed to award Luis Diaz's goal which was ruled out for offside.
Sky Sports News understands the Premier League's stance remains unchanged - that a replay would not be considered.
Klopp said: "It's really important that as big as football is and important as football is we deal with it in a proper way.
"All the people involved, the on-field referee, linesman, fourth official and especially in this case VAR, didn't do that on purpose. It was an obvious mistake and I think there would have been solutions for it afterwards.
"Some people probably don't want me to say, but not as the manager of Liverpool so much, more as a football person, the only outcome should be a replay. That's how it is. It probably will not happen."
Diaz was flagged offside after scoring but replays showed he was actually onside although Darren England, the VAR, mistakenly believed the on-field decision had been to award the goal, leading him to tell Simon Hooper, the referee, that the check was complete.
After England and the assistant VAR Dan Cook were alerted to their mistake by the replay operator when the goal wasn't awarded, they repeatedly said they could not intervene as the game had restarted.
Klopp added: "The argument against [a replay] will probably be if we open that gate then everybody will ask for it. The situation is so unprecedented that I'm 56 years old and I'm absolutely used to wrong decisions, difficult decisions but something like that as far as I can remember never happened.
"That's why I think a replay would be the right thing. If it happened again, a replay would be the right thing to do or the referee has the opportunity to bring both coaches together and say, 'Sorry we made a mistake but we can solve it. Let Liverpool score a goal and we can start from there.'
"I'm not angry with anybody, not at all. We should not go for them. They made a mistake and they felt horrible that night, I'm 100 per cent sure. That's enough for me, nobody needs further punishment."
Asked whether the club had asked - or would ask - the Premier League for a replay formally, Klopp added: "At this stage, we are still going through the information we have."
Liverpool are understood to still be considering their options.
Sky Sports News have approached Tottenham for comment.
Sky Sports News senior reporter Rob Dorsett:
"Jurgen Klopp is almost certain to fail in his desire to have the game with Tottenham replayed.
"Sky Sports News understands the Premier League have not received any formal request from Liverpool for the result of Sunday's game to be cancelled, and the full 90 minutes played afresh.
"Crucially, if they were to get such a request, it would be rejected out of hand.
"High-level discussions inside Anfield are ongoing to decide what - if any - further action will be taken by the club."
Klopp still unhappy with Jones dismissal
Liverpool went on to lose 2-1 at Tottenham and finished with nine players after Curtis Jones was shown a straight red card before Diogo Jota picked up two yellows.
Jones is set to serve a three-match suspension after an appeal to overturn the decision was unsuccessful. Klopp still believes the midfielder should not have been sent off.
"What made this day really difficult for us was all the other decisions," he said. "We talk about the process now of VAR but in this game, there was another situation when Curtis Jones got a red card and I stick to the opinion that it's not a red card.
"The referee got called to the screen and saw for the first three seconds a frozen picture. I would give an immediate red card for that picture. Then he sees the replay in slow motion and I would give a red card for the slow motion. But in real-time, it's not a red card.
"Then you appeal it and the FA panel says it's not a clear and obvious mistake. I think it is. But the referee's first decision was yellow. Then the clear and obvious mistake is showing a frozen picture and slow motion.
"On top of that Diogo Jota got two yellow cards for not touching a player once. That's unprecedented as well. But that's all fine, we can take and took a lot out of this game. I saw a wonderful team fighting against all odds in a incredible, fair way."
