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<\/div>\nLiverpool say \u201csporting integrity has been undermined\u201d by the video assistant referee (VAR) error in\u00a0Saturday\u2019s 2-1 Premier League loss to Tottenham.<\/p>\n
VAR failed to overturn an incorrect decision to disallow a Luis Diaz goal for offside with the match goalless.<\/p>\n
In a statement on Sunday, the club said they will \u201cexplore the range of options available given the clear need for escalation and resolution\u201d.<\/p>\n
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The VAR officials were\u00a0stood down from duty\u00a0for the rest of the weekend.<\/p>\n
PGMOL, the governing body for referees, has said the decision to disallow the goal was\u00a0\u201ca significant human error\u201d.<\/p>\n
Liverpool say that explanation is \u201cunacceptable\u201d and called for a \u201creview with full transparency\u201d.<\/p>\n
What happened in disallowing Diaz goal?<\/h3>\n
PGMOL admitted that VAR official Darren England and assistant Dan Cook failed to act after Diaz\u2019s 34th-minute strike at Tottenham was wrongly ruled out for offside.<\/p>\n
Still images of the incident showed Tottenham defender Cristian Romero playing Diaz onside.<\/p>\n
The disallowed goal came when the match was level but with the Reds down to 10 men after Curtis Jones had been controversially sent off following England\u2019s intervention.<\/p>\n
BBC Sport understands the correct procedure was followed for the offside decision but the mistake was down to human error.<\/p>\n
The lines were drawn in accordance with normal procedure and every other aspect was checked.<\/p>\n
However, what is being described by sources as a lapse of concentration led to a loss of focus around the initial on-field decision and then a \u2018check complete\u2019 being confirmed rather than an intervention that would have resulted in the goal being awarded.<\/p>\n
It is understood that referees\u2019 chief Howard Webb has spoken to Liverpool about the incident.<\/p>\n
In a statement the PGMOL added: \u201cThe goal by Luis Diaz was disallowed for offside by the on-field team of match officials. This was a clear and obvious factual error and should have resulted in the goal being awarded through VAR intervention. However, the VAR failed to intervene.\u201d<\/p>\n
What have Liverpool said?<\/h3>\n
Speaking after the match, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said his side\u2019s defeat came in \u201cthe most unfair circumstances\u201d with \u201ccrazy decisions\u201d.<\/p>\n
Klopp also said the PGMOL statement \u201cdoesn\u2019t help\u201d and referenced the apology Wolves received for the decision not to award a penalty at Manchester United earlier in the season.<\/p>\n
England was replaced as the fourth official for Sunday\u2019s Premier League game between Nottingham Forest and Brentford, while Cook was replaced as assistant referee for the game between Fulham and Chelsea on Monday.<\/p>\n
Liverpool then published a statement later on Sunday saying: \u201cLiverpool acknowledges PGMOL\u2019s admission of their failures last night. It is clear that the correct application of the laws of the game did not occur, resulting in sporting integrity being undermined.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe fully accept the pressures that match officials work under but these pressures are supposed to be alleviated, not exacerbated, by the existence and implementation of VAR.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is therefore unsatisfactory that sufficient time was not afforded to allow the correct decision to be made and that there was no subsequent intervention.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat such failings have already been categorised as \u2018significant human error\u2019 is also unacceptable. Any and all outcomes should be established only by the review and with full transparency.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is vital for the reliability of future decision making as it applies to all clubs with learnings being used to make improvements to processes in order to ensure this kind of situation cannot occur again.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the meantime, we will explore the range of options available, given the clear need for escalation and resolution.\u201d<\/p>\n
Former Manchester United and England defender Gary Neville has called Liverpool\u2019s statement a \u201cmistake\u201d.<\/p>\n
Writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, he said: \u201cJurgen Klopp handled the situation well last night after the game. Most football fans will have had empathy with what happened and recognised it was wrong!<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever Liverpool\u2019s statement tonight is a mistake! Talk of exploring all options (what does that mean!) and sporting integrity are dangerous phrases along with being vague and aggressive.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cook, England and Michael Oliver, who was the fourth official at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, were also part of a match officiating team who took charge of a league game in the United Arab Emirates on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The Football Association had approved the trip and the trio arrived in London on Friday to prepare for Saturday\u2019s game.<\/p>\n
It is understood that Liverpool also want this looked at as part of PGMOL\u2019s review.<\/p>\n
The Reds also had forward Diogo Jota sent off as well Jones \u2013 both decisions which Klopp disagreed with \u2013 and\u00a0lost to a stoppage-time Joel Matip own goal.<\/p>\n
Klopp added: \u201cIf you want to change, you have to do [it] without our voice. If we say something, we get fined. They didn\u2019t do it on purpose but if we want to talk about it, do it properly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reds captain Virgil van Dijk said he was losing faith in VAR after Saturday\u2019s costly officiating blunder.<\/p>\n
Former England striker Alan Shearer, who also agreed Jones\u2019 red card was harsh, described VAR\u2019s error as \u201cincomprehensible\u201d on Saturday\u2019s BBC Match of the Day.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cA horrendous day for the officials and VAR. We have seen some howlers but that is the biggest. Trust is going to be a big thing going forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
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