Liverpool boss Arne Slot has reacted to the PGMOL’s acknowledgment that Everton‘s James Tarkowski should have been sent off for a poor challenge on Alexis Mac Allister in Wednesday’s Merseyside derby at Anfield.
The Reds have moved one step closer to Premier League glory after Diogo Jota‘s second-half strike was enough to secure a slender 1-0 home victory over the Toffees and restore their 12-point lead over second-placed Arsenal.
However, the contest was somewhat overshadowed by Tarkowski’s stud-showing tackle just below the knee of Mac Allister inside the first 11 minutes, one that only received a yellow card by on-field referee Sam Barrott.
Paul Tierney was the official on VAR and deemed that the on-field decision was not a clear and obvious error, but the PGMOL have since acknowledged that Tarkowski should have been sent off for a tackle that met the threshold for serious foul play.
The view of PGMOL is that an on-field review should have been recommended to Barrott and ultimately the original decision overturned.
According to BBC Sport, the PGMOL have said that they wanted to operate in a transparent way by admitting mistakes, and felt this incident needed to be addressed immediately, rather than waiting for PGMOL chief Howard Webb to share his views on the next edition of ‘Match Officials Mic’d Up’.
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Slot: ‘It’s good the PGMOL acknowledge the mistake’
Slot spoke to the media at a press conference on Thursday morning in the build-up to Liverpool’s next Premier League game away against Fulham, and the Dutchman’s first question was on the PGMOL’s standpoint on Tarkowski’s yellow card.
“It is always good that if they think they have made a mistake that they acknowledge that,” Slot told reporters. “We all know that mistakes are being made during football matches – by us, by me, by referees.
“It is good that they acknowledge the mistake but it was so clear. Let’s go on to Sunday.”
Discussing what he has made of the standard of Premier League refereeing and VAR, Slot added: “I think everywhere around the world mistakes are being made.
“This is something in the league where I came from. We are all aiming for a league without mistakes. I am aiming for a season without me making one mistake in the line-ups I make, but unfortunately this will probably never happen – not with me and not with referee decisions.
“We also have to accept, which is sometimes very hard – as you noticed at the away game with Everton with me as well. I got the idea that David Moyes wasn’t happy as well after the game but he was a bit smarter than me and he went inside instead of going onto the pitch – probably experience.
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“Mistakes are being made. I know for example, there is so much criticism of the referees in Holland. In this world, if there is a possibility to be negative, everyone wants to be negative so if a referee makes a wrong decision everyone will fall over it and if I make the wrong line-up, everyone will fall over it.
“I think it is quite an ok season for referees in England actually. Mistakes are being made. The most important thing is that it doesn’t influence the league table, but it is normal that it does. Mistakes are part of our lives, also from referees.”
Tarkowski avoids punishment for “absolute shocker” in Merseyside derby
Former Premier League referee Mike Dean was surprised to see Tarkowski avoid a red card, saying on Sky Sports’ Gillette Soccer Special: “[Barrott] should have gone to the screen and he should be off. It is a horrible challenge. I don’t care what the Match Centre says. It was a stonewall red card.”
Tarkowski’s challenge was also described as “horrible” and an “absolute shocker” by Gary Neville and Paul Merson respectively, while even Everton manager Moyes has admitted that the defender was “lucky” to remain on the pitch.
The 32-year-old has escaped a suspension after receiving an in-game booking by Barrott for the reckless challenge, and neither the PGMOL or the FA can now intervene to upgrade the Everton captain’s yellow card to a red.
Tarkowski now has the joint most yellow cards without ever being sent off in Premier League history (63) and is available to play in Everton’s next match at home to Arsenal on Saturday lunchtime.
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