Jamie Carragher has slammed the PGMOL’s ‘unbelievable’ decision not to release the audio conversation between VAR officials and onfield referee Simon Hooper after Liverpool were incorrectly denied a goal for offside in their 2-1 defeat against Spurs over the weekend.
Liverpool received an apology from the professional referees association after the blunder prevented Luis Diaz from opening the scoring having been wrongfully ruled offside.
Some fan-led accusations believe the refereeing body is refusing to release the audio to give themselves time to build a compelling explanation for the error and Carragher has described the rejection as ‘unfathomable’.
‘There is talk they don’t know there is a mistake made until half time, when that ball goes out the look on referees face has that look a look as if something has gone wrong here,’ he said on Sky Sports.
‘When you talk about our info and sources, I think it is unbelievable that all parties involved have not released audio, I find it unfathomable.
Jamie Carragher has slammed the PGMOL’s decision that saw Luis Diaz (pictured) wrongfully denied a goal in the weekend defeat against Spurs
Liverpool have since made an official request to the PGMOL for the audio of the incident to be released but have been refused
Carragher slammed the PGMOL’s decision not to release audio from the VAR exchange
‘The only way Howard Webb and the PGMOL would gain any sort of credibility back was to get it out there, we would all say it’s a mistake we have all been there.
‘The problem now is because the explanation is so random and bizarre more people will think they are trying to fix a story,’ he added.
Diaz looked to have given Jurgen Klopp‘s side the lead in the match before his goal in the first-half was controversially ruled out for offside following a VAR review.
It later emerged that the decision was a result of a miscommunication between the on-field officials and those on VAR.
The PGMOL admitted there had been a ‘serious human error’ and acted by removing VAR officials Darren England and Dan Cook from upcoming fixtures due to their errors.
Liverpool have since made a formal request to receive access to the VAR audio that stopped the goal being given, however, have been rejected by the body who are so far standing firm on that decision.
They have also appealed against Curtis Jones’ red card in the match that saw the midfielder sent walking after VAR intervened and advised Hooper to overturn his initial yellow card.
Head of the PGMOL Howard Webb is responsible for improving the quality of officiating in the Premier League
Simon Hooper was the on-field referee in the weekend encounter that saw Spurs beat Liverpool
PGMOL reacted by removing VAR official Darren England (left) and assistant Dan Cook (right) from upcoming fixtures
Carragher continued his damning assessment of Premier League officiating and described the PGMOL as being at a ‘crisis point’.
‘I think var has been a topic for last few years for obvious reasons, but I don’t think the feeling around var has ever been lower, it’s a crisis point for it in this country.
‘I don’t want to pile on an official or Howard Webb as I imagine they feel awful, I am not into conspiracy theories about people favouring teams, we all make mistakes but it is a horrendous mistake that is unprecedented and you can’t actually believe the explanation being given.
‘Bit on this I am really struggling. The mistake has been made, they then know in two seconds, Spurs haven’t kicked off, I don’t believe for one minute,’ he added.
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