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Liverpool finds itself at the center of yet another VAR controversy, casting a shadow over their recent match against Tottenham Hotspur. The Reds received an apology from Howard Webb, the chief of Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), following their defeat, primarily due to the contentious decision to disallow Luis Diaz’s goal.
In the aftermath of Liverpool’s heartbreak, the PGMOL released a statement acknowledging “significant human error” in the ruling out of what would have been Diaz’s opening goal. This decision came just moments after Curtis Jones received a red card, leaving Jurgen Klopp’s team with only 10 players on the field. Diaz had raced behind the Spurs’ defense and successfully netted a goal past Guglielmo Vicario, only for celebrations to be abruptly halted by the assistant referee’s flag.
While the video assistant referee (VAR) did intervene in the situation, reports suggest that the initial check was focused on allowing Diaz’s goal to stand, rather than overturning the initial offside decision. The end result was a 2-1 loss for Liverpool, with Joel Matip’s stoppage-time own goal sealing their fate, further fueling the controversy.
This incident marks the latest in a series of technology-related mishaps that have plagued Jurgen Klopp’s side this season. Unfortunately, this defeat cost Liverpool the opportunity to move to the top of the Premier League table, as Manchester City had also suffered an unexpected loss earlier in the day. Wolverhampton Wanderers emerged victorious against the reigning champions, securing a 2-1 win with goals from Pedro Neto and Hwang Hee-chan.
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