Soccer

Liverpool receive VAR audio of controversial disallowed Luis Diaz goal at Spurs

Liverpool have received the audio linked to the decision to wrongly disallow a goal by Luis Diaz, pictured (Peter Byrne/PA)
Liverpool have received the audio linked to the decision to wrongly disallow a goal by Luis Diaz, pictured (Peter Byrne/PA)

Liverpool have received the audio of the VAR review which led to a Luis Diaz goal wrongly being disallowed at Tottenham.

Miscommunication between VAR Darren England and on-field referee Simon Hooper led to the goal being ruled out in Saturday’s Premier League fixture.

Professional Game Match Officials Limited acknowledged later that evening that a “significant human error” had occurred, and the PA news agency understands the audio linked to the incident has now been sent to Liverpool by PGMOL ahead of it being released publicly.

Curtis Jones, right, leaves the field after his red card against Tottenham
Curtis Jones, right, leaves the field after his red card against Tottenham (John Walton/PA)

PA understands the audio could feature in the next ‘Match Officials: Mic’d Up’ programme due to air on Monday night, if not sooner. But it is now understood the audio will definitely be released, it is just a question of when.

Liverpool are also understood to be appealing against a straight red card shown to Curtis Jones earlier in the match.

Diogo Jota was also sent off in the second half for a second bookable offence.

England and his assistant VAR, Daniel Cook, have not been selected for Premier League matches this weekend following the Diaz incident.

The pair had also been replaced for duties they were due to fulfil on Sunday and Monday respectively.

PGMOL is currently conducting a review of Saturday’s incident.

Darren England has not been selected for duty in this weekend's Premier League matches
Darren England has not been selected for duty in this weekend’s Premier League matches (Richard Sellers/PA)

Hooper and his assistants had given offside against Diaz on the field, and PA understands that, although England followed the correct procedure in drawing lines, he lost focus and mistakenly thought the initial on-field decision had been onside.

This resulted in him issuing a ‘check complete’ notice to Hooper, rather than advising of an intervention and the goal being awarded.

Once the officials realised an error had been made, play had restarted and VAR protocols state that once that has happened, there is no way back to revisit a decision.