Michael Salisbury has been replaced as VAR for Liverpool’s clash with Arsenal after the PGMO acknowledged the decision to disallow Fulham’s goal at Chelsea on Saturday was incorrect.
Salisbury was acting as VAR for the game as Stamford Bridge when he advised referee Rob Jones that Josh King’s goal should be disallowed for a foul in the buildup by Fulham forward Rodrigo Muniz on Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah.
The decision led to widespread criticism, with Fulham manager Marco Silva decribing the decision as “unbelievable” following his team’s 2-0 defeat.
Salisbury, who is highly regarded as a VAR and is on the UEFA international list, was due to be the video referee for the big game of the weekend at Anfield, but that role will now be filled by John Brooks.
PGMO accepts that the decision to disallow King’s goal was not in line with “referee’s call” and the high bar for intervention. Referees’ chief Howard Webb has already been in contact with Fulham to discuss the decision.
Silva did not try to hide his unhappiness with the officials following Fulham’s defeat at the hands of their west London neighbours.
He resorted to laughing sarcastically early in the second half when Chelsea were awarded a penalty for handball against Ryan Sessegnon following another video review, which highlighted two potential infringements — a push and a handball — by Pedro in the buildup.
“Yes it’s handball from Sess, but before that moment you can find easy two or three fouls for ourselves,” Silva said.
“Our players went with the referee to the screen and they were laughing. A stamp on Alex Iwobi, handball from João Pedro and the pushing on Joachim [Andersen].
“It’s the same VAR that in the first half found something unbelievable like a stamp from Rodrigo. The same people didn’t see a stamp on Iwobi. I don’t understand the direction that it’s going.”
After a long delay, Enzo Fernández converted the spot kick down the middle in the 56th minute.
“For someone that loves football as a manager, a former football player, as a fan sometimes when I just watch a game, I feel sad, really,” Silva said when asked for his views on the refereeing decisions. “Just that.”
Information from PA and the Associated Press contributed to this report
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