PGMOL send Liverpool audio relating to Luis Díaz gaffe at Tottenham

• Liverpool formally requested copy of VAR audio on Monday
• Referees’ body meet request and likely to release audio publicly

THE GUARDIAN UK

The referees’ body, Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL), has sent Liverpool the audio relating to the controversial VAR error that cost them a goal at Tottenham on Saturday. An interval review of the incident is ongoing but the relevant audio has been shared with Liverpool after the club formally requested a copy on Monday.

Liverpool were left seething over the failure of the VAR, Darren England, and assistant VAR, Dan Cook, to overturn the incorrect on-pitch decision to disallow Luis Díaz’s goal for offside, one that would have put them 1-0 up against Spurs having had Curtis Jones sent off following VAR intervention. They went on to lose the game 2-1, having also had Diogo Jota sent off, and, the following day, released a statement criticising PGMOL’s assessment that “significant human error” was to blame and calling for a wide-ranging, fully transparent review into the entire process. That was followed 24 hours later by a request for the audio that led to Díaz’s goal not being given to be released.

PGMOL was happy to do so in order to be as open and transparent as possible and provided Liverpool with the audio on Tuesday. The club are now in the process of reviewing it.

The audio is also likely to be released publicly and that could occur before it is potentially presented on Match Officials Mic’d Up, a monthly television programme hosted by former England striker Michael Owen and the PGMOL’s chief refereeing officer, Howard Webb, designed to display greater transparency around some of the biggest refereeing incidents and talking points. The next Mic’d Up show, which airs previously unheard audio between on-field officials and the VAR team at Stockley Park, is slated for the beginning of next week.