EPL continues with poor VAR and officials’ decisions

Talking point from Theo Squires after Liverpool’s controversial 2-1 defeat away to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League

Lucky ‘LiVARpool’. Jurgen Klopp’s side have repeatedly been labelled with such a tag by opposing fans in recent years, with such a phrase often trending on social media as a result.

With all football fans in possession of their own tinted glasses, the validity of such accusations as anything more than tongue-in-cheek will vary from game to game. There is no conspiracy against certain sides, with all clubs falling on the wrong side of human error at one time or another.

But you can certainly not accuse the Reds of being ‘LiVARpool’ this season, as they were left scratching their heads on more than one occasion against Tottenham Hotspur.

Curtis Jones was sent off in the 26th minute against Spurs for going over the ball and down on Yves Bissouma’s ankle, after referee Simon Hooper had been sent to the monitor to check the decision by VAR.

Still images and a slow motion replay of the tackle would confirm contact as Hooper upgraded the initial caution he had shown the midfielder. Yet Jones had clearly gone through the ball first, with Bissouma’s own movement prompting the second contact.

Jones and Liverpool will understandably feel aggrieved, with it feeling inevitable that he would be dismissed as soon as Hooper went over to the monitor. No explanation from the PGMOL will change that hard done by sensation.

But while the Reds will know that is a harsh decision that they will just have to stomach, worse was to follow moments later as Luis Diaz struck past Guglielmo Vicario.

Running onto Mohamed Salah’s through-ball, the Colombian calmly slotted across goal into the bottom corner, only to see his celebrations cut short by an offside flag. The briefest of checks by VAR would persist with that on-field decision.

No matter how many times you look at the replay, nor your own allegiance, the decision to rule Diaz offside remains baffling. The PGMOL’s explanation of human error makes it even more embarrassing for the officiating body.

Why did VAR not look at the decision thoroughly and draw lines on the pitch before making a decision? If you have the technology, you have to use it correctly, and on Saturday, the Reds were badly let down.

These are questions the PGMOL have to answer, and their explanation of human error will be no consolation to Liverpool after proving so costly. How can such mistakes be made in what is meant to be the greatest league in the world?

Victory for the Reds would have sent them top of the table, yet instead, they were left battling for a share of the spoils in North London after such a shambolic cock-up. With so many VAR decisions prompting further controversy, this current ‘best’ from officials simply isn’t good enough.

A second red card, this time shown to Diogo Jota for a second bookable offence in the 69th minute, would make Liverpool’s task even more difficult. Yet it took a 96th minute own goal from Joel Matip to consign the nine-man Reds to defeat.

Liverpool’s unbeaten run is over after they were once again left to do it the hard way. Once again they came from behind. Once again they had to battle with fewer men. But this time it was just a step too far with one arm tied behind their back.

Down to nine men with a goal wrongly chalked off, while also losing Cody Gakpo to injury, a last-minute own goal ensured this was the day Liverpool’s luck run out. They can’t keep avoiding defeat in the face of such adversities.

Yet to take it to the final kick of the game showed something more. This is mentality, with Klopp reinstilling a never-say-die attitude into his monstrous players.

Whether it reinstalls them as title contenders in the months ahead after last year’s disappointment remains to be seen. But having been robbed by the officials of a genuine chance to compete for top spot, Klopp will at least be content with the spirit his side showed, even in an unsuccessful pursuit of one hardest of points they have ever fought for.

Make no mistake, the fight that was lacking from the Reds last season has firmly been restored. This season might be day one of ‘Liverpool 2.0’ but the mentality monsters are back.

And once the dust settles on this heartbreaking defeat, they will be left demanding answers from the PGMOL for their officials making their latest match such a fight in the first place.

Whether it reinstalls them as title contenders in the months ahead after last year’s disappointment remains to be seen. But having been robbed by the officials of a genuine chance to compete for top spot, Klopp will at least be content with the spirit his side showed, even in an unsuccessful pursuit of one hardest of points they have ever fought for.

Make no mistake, the fight that was lacking from the Reds last season has firmly been restored. This season might be day one of ‘Liverpool 2.0’ but the mentality monsters are back.

And once the dust settles on this heartbreaking defeat, they will be left demanding answers from the PGMOL for their officials making their latest match such a fight in the first place.