VAR APOLOGY STORM : HOWARD WEBB FORCED TO APOLOGIZE AS LIVERPOOL SUFFERED THEIR FIRST DEFEAT DUE TO VAR ERROR…

VAR APOLOGY STORM: HOWARD WEBB FORCED TO APOLOGIZE AS LIVERPOOL EXPERIENCES THEIR FIRST DEFEAT DUE TO VAR ERROR

The Premier League has issued a statement regarding the controversy in the Crystal Palace vs Liverpool match.

The Premier League is being urged to revise VAR regulations following the incident in the Crystal Palace vs Liverpool game.

PGMOL will undoubtedly have much to contemplate after several significant VAR decisions during Liverpool’s match against Crystal Palace.

Liverpool’s flawless start to the new season has come to an end after a thrilling match against Crystal Palace.

Liverpool had achieved seven consecutive victories to kick off the season following a 2-1 win over Southampton, but they were unable to secure an eighth straight win, suffering a 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace, failing to rectify their Community Shield defeat.

Federico Chiesa seemed to have salvaged a point for the Reds late in the game after Ismaila Sarr opened the scoring, but Eddie Nketiah netted in the 98th minute, securing a well-deserved victory for Palace.

Liverpool performed poorly at Selhurst Park and rightfully ended up with no points, although it was particularly painful to concede so late in the match.

Nevertheless, there was additional VAR controversy surrounding Liverpool’s equalizer.

Premier League clarifies the decision to allow Federico Chiesa’s goal

In a frantic attempt to equalize, Ryan Gravenberch delivered a cross that bypassed Mohamed Salah and struck Cody Gakpo, allowing Chiesa to rush in and score from the rebound.

Salah’s arm was raised, and footage from the cameras caused concern among Reds fans, as one angle seemed to indicate the ball brushed against the fingertips of the Egyptian.

VAR reviewed the goal, but after an extensive check, it was confirmed, giving Liverpool a glimmer of hope for an undeserved result from South London.

The Premier League Match Centre X account has provided clarification regarding the goal being upheld, stating there was no evidence of handball.

They communicated via X: “The referee’s decision to award the goal was reviewed and validated by VAR – it was determined that there was no conclusive evidence that Salah handled the ball during the build-up.”

The referee’s decision to award a goal was reviewed and validated by VAR, which concluded that there was insufficient evidence to prove that Salah had handled the ball during the buildup.

Liverpool were fortunate to avoid a loss.

In the end, the decision was inconsequential, as Palace secured their well-deserved victory, earning all three points.

Had the match ended in a 1-1 draw, the Eagles would have felt wronged for several reasons, as there is a valid argument suggesting that Salah did indeed handle the ball.

However, their greater frustration would have stemmed from their finishing, as Alisson Becker showcased another exceptional performance to keep Liverpool competitive, especially in the first half.

The best team triumphed on that day, and this should serve as a wake-up call for the Reds, who have struggled for significant portions of the season thus far, with challenging matches against Galatasaray and Chelsea approaching in the coming days.