Premier League giants Manchester United netted home a controversial goal in the much-anticipated game against Liverpool, thanks to Marcus Rashford. His goal implied that Manchester United squeezed a point out of the game even when Liverpool were favourites to win the match. In fact, at one stage Manchester United looked set to clinch the game but Liverpool’s Adam Lallana came in with the late equaliser.
A lot of questions have been asked of VAR (Video Assistant Referee) after it allowed the goal when most suggested that a tackle in the build-up to that goal was, in fact, a “clear and obvious” error.
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The English Premier League has been facing a lot of criticism for not making consistent decisions with regard to its VAR. However, the first goal of Sunday’s game at Old Trafford saw some people call the goal a blunder while others deemed it to be the right call.
To have more clarity on the situation surrounding the Rashford goal as well as VAR in the Premier League, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) gave his views post the match.
“Firstly, the on-field referee didn’t think it was a foul and VAR checked/decided that it wasn’t a clear and obvious error to not award the foul,” PGMOL told Sky Sports Network.
“Secondly, VAR isn’t re-refereeing matches – there is contact but VAR was comfortable it wasn’t enough to disallow the goal.”
On the contrary, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who was on the receiving end of this goal which brought an end to their 100 per cent winning record in the season, is convinced that VAR was to blame for allowing Rashford’s goal to stand.
“They were better than us and defended well, but in the end they scored a goal that shows all the problems with VAR,” Klopp said after the match.
“Mr Atkinson let the game run on because that is the protocol of VAR, and VAR shows there was contact and it was a foul.
“We then scored a goal that was disallowed. Pretty much everything went against us today, but we still didn’t lose. We deserved the point, 100 per cent,” he concluded.
