The Merseyside derby between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield was marred by controversy when James Tarkowski caught Alexis Mac Allister with his studs just below the knee in the 11th minute.
Referee Sam Barrott issued a yellow card, and VAR Paul Tierney reviewed the incident but did not recommend an upgrade to a red card. However, Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) has since acknowledged that the challenge met the criteria for serious foul play and that an on-field review should have been conducted.
PGMOL Acknowledges Mistake, Contacts Liverpool
PGMOL now believes that had Barrott reviewed the footage, the yellow card would have been upgraded to a red.
Liverpool were subsequently contacted by PGMOL, with manager Arne Slot reacting to the admission:
“It is always good that if they think they have made a mistake, they acknowledge that. Mistakes are being made, but the most important thing is that it doesn’t influence the league table.”
Everton boss David Moyes admitted Tarkowski was lucky to stay on the pitch, and the defender personally apologized to Mac Allister after the match.
Everton’s Offside Complaint Over Jota’s Winner
Everton also disputed Diogo Jota’s winning goal, claiming Luis Díaz was offside in the build-up. Tarkowski had slid in to intercept a pass toward Díaz, who was standing in an offside position. However, PGMOL ruled the goal legitimate, determining that Díaz was not interfering with play.
Premier League VAR Statistics
As of February 4, the Premier League reported 13 VAR mistakes this season, a decrease from 20 at the same stage last season.
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Four incorrect VAR interventions
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Nine missed interventions
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One VAR intervention every three matches
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Key Match Incident accuracy at 96.4% (up from 95.7%)
PGMOL emphasized its commitment to transparency, choosing to immediately acknowledge mistakes rather than waiting for Howard Webb’s “Match Officials Mic’d Up” program.
Despite ongoing debates over refereeing standards, officials believe that decision-making accuracy is improving across the league.
