Liverpool Football Club have taken an unusual step by releasing a statement addressing their deep concerns regarding a recent decision during a match, accusing the PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) of compromising the integrity of the sport, reports the Daily Mail.
The controversy stems from Reds winger Luis Diaz's disallowed goal during Liverpool's heart-wrenching 2-1 defeat to Tottenham. The Merseyside club are currently exploring various courses of action, though it's too early to confirm whether this includes pursuing legal avenues.
Liverpool's ire is not solely directed at the decision itself but rather at how the game's laws were seemingly disregarded. They express outrage at VAR official Darren England's swift and public ruling that Diaz's strike was offside, deeming it "unacceptable." The crux of Liverpool's complaint lies in the failure of VAR protocols to deliver the correct outcome.
In a statement issued on Sunday night, Liverpool acknowledged PGMOL's admission of failure, asserting that the correct application of the game's rules had been neglected, thereby undermining the integrity of the sport. While understanding the pressures match officials face, Liverpool contends that VAR should alleviate, not exacerbate, these pressures.
They find it unsatisfactory that insufficient time was allocated for the correct decision and that no subsequent intervention occurred. The categorisation of these failings as "significant human error" is also deemed unacceptable, with Liverpool insisting on transparent reviews to establish outcomes.
The statement posted on social media by Liverpool FC on Sunday night, read: 'Liverpool Football Club acknowledges PGMOL's 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.
'We 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.
'It is therefore unsatisfactory that sufficient time was not afforded to allow the correct decision to be made and that there was no subsequent intervention.
'That such failings have already been categorised as 'significant human error' is also unacceptable. Any and all outcomes should be established only by the review and with full transparency.'
The statement continued: 'This 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.
'In the meantime, we will explore the range of options available, given the clear need for escalation and resolution.'
This incident marks the latest in a series of refereeing issues Liverpool have encountered over the past two years, including incidents like Paul Tierney's failure to send off Harry Kane and awarding a clear penalty for Diogo Jota during a game at the Tottenham Stadium.
Jurgen Klopp, who has faced touchline bans in the past year due to confrontations with fourth officials, remains steadfast in his belief that an apology from PGMOL will not alter the contest's outcome, highlighting the urgency for a comprehensive resolution.
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