PGMOL admits 'significant human error' which cost Liverpool goal in Tottenham defeat
PGMOL has admitted a "significant human error" saw Luis Diaz's goal for Liverpool ruled out in the defeat to Tottenham.
1970-01-01 08:00
Maldives election: Pro-China candidate Muizzu wins presidency
Mohamed Muizzu ran an "India out" campaign as the current leader favours good relations with Delhi.
1970-01-01 08:00
Tottenham take their moment of fortune as Liverpool are left with only fury and frustration
Everything keeps going Ange Postecoglou’s way, as Liverpool will argue everything went against them – not least Joel Matip’s 96th-minute attempt to divert Pedro Porro’s cross. That brought a 2-1 win for Tottenham Hotspur, who will doubtless say it came from the adventure they keep showing under the Australian. Something bigger is happening at Spurs, as could be sensed in the raucous atmosphere after another late victory, but their biggest yet. They are level with Manchester City on points, only behind the champions on goal difference. Who would have expected that after the lukewarm response to Postecoglou’s appointment at the start of the summer. Liverpool might fairly say they would have been ahead of City had it not been for much smaller moments. Jurgen Klopp’s side endured two red cards – for Curtis Jones and substitute Diogo Jota – that they greatly disputed, as well as an offside call for a Luis Diaz finish that seemed the most borderline possible. Later, the referees’ body, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) admitted it was the wrong decision to disallow Diaz’s effort, blaming human error, and “should have resulted in the goal being awarded through VAR intervention”. On such events seasons can swing. On the other side, strokes of fortune are often the sources of greater success, especially when you put yourself in the position to take advantage of that. Spurs will argue that’s what Postecoglou’s approach absolutely does. There’s a bravery to it. There was only a fury and frustration to Liverpool, even if some solace could have been taken from the resolve… until the own goal. Again, Klopp will say it shouldn’t have come down to that. Liverpool had been the better side, and would have been ahead had it not been for two brilliant successive saves from Guglielmo Vicario. He kept out both Cody Gakpo and Andy Robertson, although the former’s decision to dwell on the ball that bit too long would doubtless influence his next chance. That only came after the game turned, from referee Simon Hooper overturning a big decision. Curtis Jones had gone in rashly on Yves Bissouma but the lack of reaction from the players seemed to vindicate the official’s initial decision that it was no more than a yellow. On reviewing the footage, though, Hooper felt he had no choice but to send Jones off. Liverpool’s impetus started to go. Luis Diaz still turned the ball in but his fine finish was ruled out for what ended up looking the most marginal of offsides. That felt like it changed Liverpool’s mindset even more than the red card. Spurs sensed an opportunity and immediately went about creating one, then another and another. Postecoglou at one point reacted as if Bissouma missed a sitter when the midfielder merely hesitated on the ball and played a sideways pass. The Spurs manager wanted it forward much quicker. He eventually got that, and the sort of goal that Postecoglou no doubt sees as an ideal. A wondrous move at speed involved two luscious single touches from both Richarlison and Son, the Korean’s diverting the ball past Alisson. Liverpool could well have been furious with how the half had played out, but it partly played into their hands. The unusual amount of first-half stoppage time allowed another attack, from which Gakpo this time proved assertively decisive. With the ball headed down, he ensured he turned on time, lashing the ball past Vicario. He was almost too decisive, though. Appearing to over-extend himself to make the shot, Gakpo was visibly in pain as he celebrated, and then went off at half-time. His replacement, Jota, got much less time on the pitch, after almost negligible time between two yellow cards. Just 22 minutes after coming on, the Portuguese received a first booking before immediately fouling Destiny Udogie for a second. That only deepened the inevitable pattern of the game, which was Spurs controlling all play near Alisson’s area, and Liverpool looking to counter. The goalkeeper was on supreme form, probably surpassing Vicario with the pass of the match as he kept out James Maddison’s viciously swerving effort. He’d had so many individual moments of sparkling creativity that it felt a winner could come from there. Mohamed Salah’s breaks meanwhile felt the best source of a Liverpool goal, only for Klopp to take him off. From that point, it was always too much of a stretch to create a chance. Liverpool had to expend too much energy on defending against two more players. There was, inevitably, always one man over. In the very final seconds, after it looked like Liverpool had weathered the storm, that man was Porro. He drilled the ball across, more in optimism rather than real accuracy. It was enough. Matip tried to clear only for the ball to fly past Alisson into the top corner. Spurs surge past Liverpool in the table. It might take Liverpool a while to look past this one. Read More Ange Postecoglou hopes key duo will be fit to face Liverpool Ange Postecoglou had a love of Liverpool as a youngster but says ‘things change’ Tottenham vs Liverpool LIVE: Latest Premier League updates Why new-look midfields will decide Liverpool’s clash with Tottenham Football rumours: Ivan Toney can leave Brentford if the price is right I don’t understand handball rule – Spurs’ Ange Postecoglou bemused by penalty
1970-01-01 08:00
PGMOL admit Liverpool offside goal should have stood after ‘significant human error’
Liverpool have been told they should have had the opening goal of the match in their late 2-1 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur, after a “significant human error” during the VAR process which should have checked the offside call initially given. The Reds were down to ten men at the time after Curtis Jones’ red card - and would finish with nine as Diogo Jota followed - but Luis Diaz ran through to beat Guglielmo Vicario to score what he thought was the first of the match. An offside flag denied him and referee Simon Hooper blew the whistle to cut celebrations short, but replays showed Diaz looked onside - only for VAR to erroneously uphold the decision. A statement released shortly after the match by the sport’s referee organisation acknowledged that shouldn’t have been the case and although no specifics were offered, relayed that another full review would be launched. “PGMOL acknowledge a significant human error occurred during the first half of Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool,” it read. “The goal by Luis Diaz was disallowed for offside by the on-field team of match officials. This was a clear and obvious factual error and should have resulted in the goal being awarded through VAR intervention, however, the VAR failed to intervene. “PGMOL will conduct a full review into the circumstances which led to the error.” Manager Jurgen Klopp dismissed the review as irrelevant to his team after the decisions contributed to his team’s defeat, while also making reference to an incident earlier in the campaign under the same referee, where Wolves were denied a late penalty when Andre Onana should have been penalised for a clear foul. That incident ended in referee Hooper being stood down immediately into the new season, but he has since returned for three Premier League games. “How’s the statement help now? We had the situation in the Manchester United game and did Wolves get points for it? No. And we will not get points for today,” Klopp said. “So it doesn’t help. Nobody expects 100 per cent right decisions on-field. “We all thought when VAR came in it might make things easier, but I don’t know why people in VAR… are they under that much pressure? “The decision was made really quickly. It changed the momentum of the game. I knew at half-time, in the first moment I saw it’s a clean onside. “With normal, normal pictures, easy to see, but pretty sure that whoever did that made a decision. didn't do it on purpose.” Cody Gakpo had cancelled out Son Heung-min’s opener shortly before half time, only for Liverpool’s Joel Matip to score an own goal deep into injury time to hand Spurs the points. Read More Spurs take their fortune as Liverpool are left with only fury and frustration Man City failed to execute their ‘process’ in defeat at Wolves – Pep Guardiola Rob Edwards ‘very, very proud’ of Luton after landmark Premier League win Spurs take their fortune as Liverpool are left with only fury and frustration Man City failed to execute their ‘process’ in defeat at Wolves – Pep Guardiola Rob Edwards ‘very, very proud’ of Luton after landmark Premier League win
1970-01-01 08:00
US one step closer to avoiding government shutdown
House lawmakers approve a temporary funding solution - which excludes new aid for Ukraine.
1970-01-01 08:00
Tottenham 2-1 Liverpool: Player ratings as nine-man Reds beaten in stoppage time
Player ratings and match report from Tottenham 2-1 Liverpool in the Premier League.
1970-01-01 08:00
X reacts as Liverpool see Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota sent off at Tottenham
Social media reacts as Liverpool have two players - Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota - sent off in their Premier League meeting with Liverpool.
1970-01-01 08:00
Top Indian diplomat blocked from Glasgow gurdwara visit
Sikh activists confronted the diplomat amid a row over the death of a separatist leader in Canada.
1970-01-01 08:00
Tottenham vs Liverpool LIVE: Premier League latest updates as Diogo Jota sent-off to leave Reds with nine men
Tottenham face Liverpool in the Premier League as Jurgen Klopp’s in-form Reds face their toughest test of the season at Ange Postecoglou’s resurgent Spurs. Both sides are unbeaten so far in the Premier League, with Liverpool winning five of their opening six fixtures to lead the challenge to Manchester City in the early standings. But Tottenham are only two points behind after battling back to a thrilling draw at rivals Arsenal last weekend, as James Maddison and Son Heung-min starred in the comeback. Now Postecoglou’s side face a Liverpool team who are also reborn from last campaign with a new-look midfield. Dominik Szoboszlai’s stunning strike helped the Reds to their seventh win in a row in all competitions in midweek, and there will be talk of Klopp’s side fighting for the title should they beat Spurs for the first time this season. Follow live updates from Tottenham vs Liverpool in the Premier League below and check out the latest match odds here. Read More Why new-look midfields will decide Liverpool’s clash with Tottenham Liverpool announce investment through new minority shareholder
1970-01-01 08:00
Man Utd make worst start since 1989 as pressure mounts on Erik ten Hag
Erik ten Hag and Manchester United have made their worst start to a season since 1989 following their defeat to Crystal Palace.
1970-01-01 08:00
Soccer-Wolves end Man City's perfect start with shock win
WOLVERHAMPTON, England Hwang Hee-chan scored a second-half winner as Wolverhampton Wanderers ended champions Manchester City's perfect start to
1970-01-01 08:00
Erik ten Hag loses signature strength as mediocre Manchester United’s revival proves a false dawn
Perhaps it sums up the modern-day Manchester United that even as a Dane scored a high-class winner at Old Trafford, it was not their £72m striker. In fairness to Rasmus Hojlund, who was only denied a fine strike of his own by a goal-line clearance, the newcomer figures quite some way down the list of culprits for United’s fifth defeat of a season that has not even reached October. But as boos greeted the final whistle, Joachim Andersen delivered a goal that meant Roy Hodgson, whose managerial career began when Tommy Docherty was in charge of United, added a victory over Erik ten Hag to the two he secured at Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s expense at Old Trafford. And United, whose two-game revival swiftly came to look a false dawn, were confronted with the reality that one of Ten Hag’s signature feats of his first season is no more. Old Trafford became something of a fortress under the Dutchman. When Brighton visited two weeks ago, United were unbeaten on home turf in 20 league matches, spanning over a year. Now it is two losses in two. Their problems are not confined to the road now and their latest setback came with all four of Ten Hag’s major summer signings starting together for the first time. Not for the first time, issues abounded and compounded one another. United were disjointed, at times shambolic at the back. They looked susceptible to the counter-attack, long a strength of Palace’s, and frail at set-pieces. After keeping consecutive clean sheets, Andre Onana conceded in a manner that posed the question if he might have done better. Sofyan Amrabat’s full Premier League debut came at left-back and suggested the Moroccan midfielder is not a left-back. He struggled and was booked for hauling down the quick, persistent winger Jordan Ayew. The mitigating – and sadly typical - factor is that United’s three senior left-backs are all sidelined yet it was also remarkable when Ten Hag substituted both central defenders who started, bringing on Harry Maguire to operate on his own. Further forward, United displayed neither the necessary conviction nor the requisite quality. Hojlund was much the best of the front three, with Marcus Rashford poor and Facundo Pellestri utterly ineffectual; Ten Hag may parachute the watching Antony back into the team at the first possible opportunity. Alejandro Garnacho, who came on for Pellestri, was altogether more threatening. There was a perverse logic to Casemiro finishing the game on the right wing – United’s top scorer looks their most dangerous attacker at the moment – but it was nevertheless ridiculous. There was a lack of genuine invention, even though the midfield contained both Mason Mount and Bruno Fernandes. United should not take solace in the statistics. They had 77 percent of possession and 19 shots, but as the home side and the favourites who trailed for the best part of 70 minutes, that might be expected. Sam Johnstone denied Fernandes and Hojlund but was not required to make any especially difficult saves. Andersen and Marc Guehi were outstanding but United were not. Subdued before the break, more urgent thereafter, they often seemed to lack both the final ball and the finishing touch. The most invention came from Raphael Varane, whose overhead kick almost yielded a remarkable equaliser and who guided a clever header just past the post. Of the starters, he and Casemiro seemed likeliest to make something happen, and the Brazilian headed just over, but United should not be as reliant on a defensive midfielder in attack. That said, Palace prospered when their centre-backs went forward. They almost combined for a goal when Andersen crossed and Guehi headed wide. Then the Dane delivered a wonderfully clean strike, dispatching a half-volley from 14 yards after Eberechi Eze’s free kick flicked off Hojlund’s head and fell to him. It was an unfortunate assist for a player waiting for his first Old Trafford goal. The majority present had been cheered by the earlier sight of Hojlund on the charge, the new striker powering forward, poking a shot past Johnstone but being denied by Tyrick Mitchell, who executed a goal-line clearance. But a promising start by United gave way to a mediocre display. Perhaps Palace lulled United into a false sense of security with their limp display in the midweek Carabao Cup tie between the sides. With six changes, an altogether stronger side married defensive resolve with menace on the break. In the process, they brought their veteran manager a rare distinction. Only Pep Guardiola had won three away Premier League games at Old Trafford. Hodgson is not often bracketed with the serial Champions League winner but joined him. More immediately, he took Palace above United in the table. And if that may only be a temporary state of affairs, United’s malaise may endure. Read More Manchester United enter another moral maze as Antony return poses questions Antony return to Manchester United will not be a distraction – Erik ten Hag Man United allow Antony to resume training despite assault investigations Manchester United’s struggles continue as Crystal Palace win at Old Trafford Manchester United vs Crystal Palace LIVE: Latest Premier League updates Manchester United enter another moral maze as Antony return poses questions
1970-01-01 08:00