Premier League VAR Under Scrutiny After Merseyside Derby

Video Assistant Referee decisions continue to create heated debates in English football, with Everton's clash against Liverpool producing multiple talking points. This deep dive examines two critical moments that shaped the match outcome.

Major Incident 1: The Tarkowski Challenge

• Match Situation: 11th minute, Everton defending a Liverpool attack
• Player Involved: James Tarkowski (Everton) on Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool)
• On-field Decision: Yellow card shown by referee Sam Barrott
• VAR Review: Paul Tierney upheld the original decision

Technical Analysis:

• Tarkowski made high contact with Mac Allister's calf using studs
• The defender was airborne and traveled significant distance
• Force and intensity met criteria for serious foul play

Why VAR Didn't Intervene:

• Current interpretation allows for 'natural kicking motion' exceptions
• PGMOL later admitted this should have been a red card
• Marks 10th missed VAR intervention this season

Major Incident 2: Díaz's Offside in Build-up to Jota Goal

• Match Situation: 57th minute, Liverpool attacking play
• Key Players: Luis Díaz (offside position), Diogo Jota (scorer)
• VAR Decision: Goal stood despite Díaz's positioning

Why Goal Was Allowed:

• Díaz made no movement toward ball or defender
• No clear impact on opponent's ability to defend
• New phase of play created by Jota's intervention

Additional Notable Decisions

1. Pickford-Núñez Incident:

   • Late-game confrontation between Everton goalkeeper and Liverpool striker
   • No red card given, deemed reckless rather than dangerous

2. Brighton vs Aston Villa:

   • Controversial no-penalty call in Villa's favor
   • Handball decision that disallowed Brighton goal

3. Newcastle vs Brentford:

   • Two penalty appeals waved away in closing stages
   • VAR upheld referee's decisions in both cases

VAR Performance Statistics

Expert Commentary

"The Tarkowski decision represents exactly why fans remain frustrated with VAR implementation," says former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg. "When the technology clearly shows an error but doesn't correct it, the entire system loses credibility."

PGMOL Response: The refereeing body has acknowledged the error but maintains overall VAR accuracy has improved significantly this season.

What This Means for the Premier League

• Continuing education needed for officials on serious foul play
• Potential tweaks to offside interpretation guidelines
• Growing calls for more transparency in VAR decision-making process