Liverpool, down to 10 players and with the score tied at 0-0, had a promising moment in the English Premier League game against Tottenham. Forward Luis Díaz successfully received a through ball from Mohamed Salah and found the back of the net, seemingly giving his team an unexpected lead. However, the goal was swiftly disallowed due to an offside call that sparked controversy. Following the match, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), responsible for refereeing in English soccer, admitted that the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) made a significant human error in disallowing the goal.
Liverpool suffered a costly defeat as they ended the match with only nine players on the field and lost 2-1 due to an own goal by Joel Matip in the final seconds. According to a statement by the PGMOL to CNN, they acknowledged a significant human error that took place during the first half of the Tottenham Hotspur vs. Liverpool match.
Luis Díaz's goal was disallowed for offside by the match officials on the field, which was a blatant factual mistake. The goal should have been awarded through VAR intervention, but unfortunately, the VAR did not intervene. The PGMOL has announced that they will conduct a thorough review of the situation that led to this error.
The typical procedure was followed, drawing lines on the screen to assess if the goal was offside. However, a mistaken belief by the VAR, Darren England, that referee Simon Hooper had already approved the goal resulted in a premature confirmation. Had a VAR intervention occurred, the goal would have been rightfully awarded. Reuters reported on Sunday that the PGMOL announced the replacement of England and his assistant, Dan Cook, for two upcoming Premier League matches - Nottingham Forest vs. Brentford on Sunday and Fulham vs. Chelsea on Monday.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said he 'loved' his team's attitude.
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With Manchester City losing earlier in the day, victory for Liverpool would have moved the Reds to the top of the table.
Jurgen Klopp expressed his disappointment with Liverpool's unfortunate match, where they suffered a painful defeat despite being reduced to nine men. The team faced numerous setbacks, as both Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota were sent off in the first and second half, respectively. Despite coming close to victory, Klopp acknowledged that luck was not on their side.
Regarding the offside decision, he commented, "I witnessed it and I believe the person who made the mistake did not do so intentionally. Many crucial incidents took place on the field that could have altered the outcome. How is it possible for Diogo Jota to receive two yellow cards in this game? The first one was for a mere touch, clearly not his fault. That should not be considered a yellow card.
"This is the real issue. When was the last time you heard of a game with 11 players against 9? Today, we came close to having 11 versus 8. There were no malicious fouls. The result may be gone, but the team's performance will always be remembered by me. I truly admired our attitude and determination."