Jurgen Klopp wants Tottenham-Liverpool replay after VAR error
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp wants the Premier League game against Tottenham to be replayed after Luis Diaz’s goal was wrongly disallowed by the video assistant referee.
VAR Darren England and assistant Dan Cook did not overrule when Diaz was flagged offside at 0-0 on Saturday.
“Something like this never happened, so that is why I think a replay is the right thing to do,” said Klopp.
BBC Sport understands there is no prospect of the Premier League considering a replay and it is unclear whether there has been a formal request from Liverpool.
Asked whether the club had asked – or would ask – the Premier League for a replay, Klopp said: “At this stage we are still going through the information we have.”
Referees’ body PGMOL released the audio of discussions between the match officials over the offside on Tuesday.
In the audio, England says the check is “perfect” before swearing when he realises a mistake has been made.
Klopp said: “The audio didn’t change it at all. It is an obvious mistake. There should be solutions for that. The outcome should be a replay. But it probably won’t happen.
“The argument against that would be it opens the gates. It is unprecedented. I’m used to wrong and difficult decisions, but something like this never happened.”
After releasing the audio, PGMOL said the error was a result of a “lapse of concentration and loss of focus”.
The controversy has prompted a debate about the use and efficacy of VAR.
The Premier League added that the incident in Saturday’s game, and the subsequent review of what led to the incorrect decision, highlighted “systemic weaknesses in the VAR process”. The league plan to undertake a comprehensive review alongside the referees’ body to “seek consistently higher standards of VAR performance”.