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Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has reiterated he’s “not a fan” of the VAR system after benefiting from what the referees’ body admits was a failure to intervene during his team’s dramatic 2-1 win over Liverpool.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, meanwhile, questioned the pressure on officials following the controversial incident during Saturday’s Premier League heavyweight clash in London in which Luis Diaz had a goal ruled out.
Diaz looked to have put Liverpool ahead in the 34th minute when he raced onto a through ball and rifled it into the net, but the offside flag was immediately raised.
A VAR check occurred, with screens inside the stadium informing supporters, but play was able to quickly resume with the effort remaining offside.
The Professional Game Match Officials Board later acknowledged “significant human error” and that VAR “failed to intervene” to prevent the error.
Liverpool went on to finish the match with nine men and suffered late heartbreak when Joel Matip deflected Pedro Porro’s cross into his own net in the sixth minute of stoppage time, but post-match discussions focused on the crucial first-half error.
“Who does that help now? We had that situation in the Wolves-Man United game. Did Wolves get the points? No,” Klopp reflected when informed of the PGMOL statement.
“We will not get points for it so it doesn’t help. Nobody expects 100 per cent right decisions on field but we all thought when VAR comes in that it might make things easier.
“I don’t know why the people…are they that much under pressure? Today the decision was made really quick I would say for that goal. It changed the momentum of the game, so that’s how it is.”
Postecoglou highlighted that VAR will never be “errorless” after he watched his team’s unbeaten record stretch to seven matches to put them just one point behind leaders Manchester City.
The Tottenham fans paid tribute to their new manager with a rendition of “I’m Loving Big Ange Instead” to the tune of Robbie Williams’ hit Angels.
“I think I’m on record as saying that I’ve never really been a fan of it since it came in. Not for any other reason than I think that it complicates areas of the game that I thought were pretty clear in the past,” he said.
“We used to understand that errors were part of the game, including officiating errors. You’d have to cop it and some people would cop it better than others but that was part of the game.
“I think that people are under the misconception that VAR is going to be errorless.
“So much of our game isn’t factual. It’s down to interpretation and they’re still human beings. They’re going to make mistakes the same way managers make mistakes, the same way players make mistakes.”
After a breathless start, Liverpool were reduced to 10 men in the 26th minute when Curtis Jones was sent off following a VAR review.
Jones caught Yves Bissouma with a high, studs-up tackle on his shin that initially earned him a yellow card but referee Simon Hooper upgraded the decision to a red card after he used the pitchside monitor to review the incident.
Diaz found the net six minutes later, but after it was ruled out Tottenham went ahead when captain Son Heung-min tapped home from Richarlison’s centre in the 36th minute.
Cody Gakpo levelled for Liverpool on the verge of half-time but Klopp’s problems mounted when Diogo Jota was dismissed midway through the second half following two fouls on Destiny Udogie.
It meant Liverpool had to play the final 21 minutes with nine men and their resistance was finally broken when Porro’s dangerous cross was diverted past Alisson by Matip.
Spurs are looking like the real deal after securing wins against Manchester United and Liverpool at home this season, as well as earning a draw at Arsenal last week.
“We’re still a team in its infancy in terms of the way we want to play, the age and experience of the group,” Postecoglou said.
“Particularly the manner in which it (the win) happened, it leaves the real impact and impression on everyone involved. Another challenge for us today. We had to cope with a fair few things and show a different side of our game today.”
German international Kai Havertz scored his first goal for Arsenal with a second-half penalty at Bournemouth.
The Gunners were already 2-0 up through Bukayo Saka’s opener and Martin Odegaard’s spot kick, when Havertz was handed the chance to open his goal scoring account after joining from Chelsea in the off-season.
Ben White completed the 4-0 rout, which gives Arsenal a chance to move above City when the sides meet next week.
Manchester United’s mini revival was brought to a halt by Crystal Palace in a 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford.
Erik ten Hag’s struggling team have now lost four of their opening seven games in the league and five out of nine in all competitions, which led to jeers from fans at the final whistle.
Luton has their first win in the Premier League and piled the pressure on Everton boss Sean Dyche with a 2-1 victory at Goodison Park.
Elsewhere Burnley and Sheffield United are still waiting for their first wins in the top flight.
Burnley lost 2-0 at Newcastle and Sheffield United lost by the same score at West Ham.
Ollie Watkins hit his second hat-trick of the season in Aston Villa’s 6-1 rout of Brighton.
© AAP
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