Darren England, who made an error as the video assistant referee (VAR) during Liverpool’s defeat at Tottenham, has been replaced as the fourth official for Sunday’s Premier League game between Nottingham Forest and Brentford. England failed to overturn an incorrect decision on the pitch to disallow a Luis Diaz goal for offside in the 2-1 defeat, and the mistake was attributed to human error. Dan Cook, the assistant VAR for the game, has also been replaced as the assistant referee for the Fulham vs. Chelsea match on Monday.
Craig Pawson will now assume England’s duties as the fourth official at the City Ground, while Eddie Smart will take over from Cook as the assistant referee at Craven Cottage, according to the referees’ body PGMOL. The controversial decision involved disallowing Diaz’s goal at 0-0, with England upholding the decision after a quick VAR check. The customary offside line graphic was not shown during the check, leading to what has been described as a lapse of concentration and a failure to intervene.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp expressed his frustration, describing the decision as “the most unfair circumstances.” The mistake has raised doubts about VAR’s effectiveness, with Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou stating that he has never been a fan of VAR, believing it complicates clear aspects of the game and that perfection in VAR decisions is unlikely due to the human element involved.