PGMOL Release Audio from Controversial Spurs v Liverpool Game

After Saturday's controversial loss to Tottenham in London, many questions have been asked about VAR and its use during football matches due to the lack of consistency for correct decision being given. 

A thrilling 90 of minutes ended in a 2-1 win for Spurs due to a 95th minute Joel Matip own goal. The Reds played the last 25 minutes of the game with only 9 men after Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota were perhaps controversially dismissed during the entertaining match in London. 

Jones was sent off in the first half after he had slipped over the ball and caught Yves Bissouma with his studs onto his shin, which led to a yellow card decision from the on-field team and then it was questionably overturned when VAR looked at the decision. 

Jota was then brought on at half time for an injured Cody Gakpo and within 25 minutes he was sent off after 2 very soft yellow cards, the first being a from Destiny Udogie tripping over his own feet and the second was a stupid challenge from Jota who was already on a yellow, however, there was no contact made on Udogie which caused even more outrage in the game than there already was. 

The main talking point of the game was the Luis Diaz goal that was wrongly ruled out for offside. Salah had played a great ball through to an emerging Diaz who went 1-on-1 with Tottenham's Italian keeper, Vicario, and came out on top to put the Reds 1-0 up. The on-field team of officials ruled the goal out for being 'offside' and when the goal was checked by VAR, they also decided the goal was offside. A last ditch attempt to correct the decision was turned away for being too late, leading to the goal being disallowed wrongfully and then Spurs taking it up the other end and scoring minutes later. 

Transcript of officials during decision making for Diaz offside goal: 

Assistant referee 1: "Waiting. Delaying, delaying."

VAR: "Possible offside, Diaz."

Assistant referee 1: "Coming back for the offside, mate."

VAR: "Just checking the offside, Delay, delay."

VAR: "Give the kick point, let's go. Kick point, please?"

Referee: "Yeah, no worries, mate."

Replay operator: "So here we are."

Referee: "Wait."

Replay operator: "Just get a tight angle."

VAR: "Yeah, give me a 2D line ready after this one for frame two after that."

Replay operator: "So frame two there?"

VAR: "That's fine."

VAR: "Perfect, yeah."

VAR: "2D line on the left boot."

Replay operator: "Let me just switch angles."

VAR: "Romero, I think it is?"

Replay operator: "I think it might be this angle [that is] better? Happy with this angle?"

VAR: "Yep."

Replay operator: "2D line on the boot?"

VAR: "2D line on the left boot."

Replay operator: "Yeah, okay."

Replay operator: "So, 2D line on the boot."

VAR: "And stop."

VAR: "Check complete, check complete. That's fine, perfect."

Assistant referee 1: "Playing."

Referee: "Cheers, mate."

VAR: "Thank you, mate."

Referee: "Well done, boys. Good process."

Replay operator: "Wait, wait, wait, wait. The on-field decision was offside."

Replay operator: "Are you happy with this?"

Assistant VAR: "Yeah."

Replay operator: "Are you happy with this?"

Assistant VAR: "Offside, goal, yeah."

Assistant VAR: "That's wrong that, Daz."

VAR: "What?"

Replay operator: "On-field decision was offside. Are you happy with this image? Yeah, it's onside. The image that we gave them is onside."

Assistant VAR: "The left-back he's played him, he's gone."

VAR: "Oh [expletive]."

Replay operator: "Delay, delay."

Replay operator: "Oli's [PGMOL Hub Ops] saying to delay, Oli's saying to delay."

VAR: "Pardon?"

Replay operator: "Oli's calling in to say delay the game. The decision is onside."

VAR: "Can't do anything."

Replay operator: "Oli's saying to delay, Oli's saying to delay."

VAR: "Oli?"

Fourth official: "Yeah?"

Replay operator: "Delay the game, delay the game. Stop the game."

VAR: "They've restarted the game. Can't do anything, can't do anything."

Assistant VAR: "Yeah, they've restarted. Yeah."

VAR: "Can't do anything."

Assistant VAR: "No."

VAR: "I can't do anything. I can't do anything. *Expletive*.

Despite the poor officiating and result, Liverpool showed a lot of passion, determination and character in the final 20 minutes of the game where they played with 9 men, they were left deflated after conceding in the 95th minute with a Matip own goal, totally undeserved.