10 times PGMOL admitted wrong decisions as Arsenal debacle leads to VAR's axing
The use of Video Assistant Referees is in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons after a weekend containing two calamities in the Premier League.
Both incidents occurred in Saturday's 3pm kick-offs, during the Arsenal versus Brentford and Crystal Palace versus Brighton fixtures. At Emirates Stadium, the Gunners were potentially denied victory over the Bees after Ivan Toney's equalising goal in the 1-1 draw was not ruled out for offside.
Across the capital at Selhurst Park, Pervis Estupinan thought he had opened the scoring for the Seagulls only for the VAR to incorrectly rule his goal out, with the two teams going on to play out a 1-1 draw. John Brooks was responsible for the mistake and he has been removed from the officiating teams for Monday night's clash between Liverpool and Everton, as well as Arsenal versus Manchester City on Wednesday night.
Including the two failures over the weekend just gone, here are 10 times Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), the body in charge of match officials, has admitted wrongdoing this season.
Crystal Palace 3-1 Aston Villa, 20 August 2022
In December, an independent panel made up of former players and PGMOL representatives assessed 48 VAR decisions and found that six mistakes had been made.
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The first of the season came in August, when Lucas Digne was penalised for a handball and a penalty was awarded to Crystal Palace. The referee did not point to the spot initially but did so after consulting the pitchside monitor, which was later deemed to be the incorrect decision.
Chelsea 2-1 West Ham, 3 September 2022
Jarrod Bowen was found to have fouled Edouard Mendy (Getty Images)The Irons were denied a last-gasp equaliser at Stamford Bridge after the VAR judged Jarrod Bowen had fouled Edouard Mendy before Maxwel Cornet finished into an empty net.
Bowen had attempted to jump over the onrushing Chelsea goalkeeper but made some contact, leading to the goal being ruled out. This was another of the decisions the panel ruled incorrect.
Newcastle 0-0 Crystal Palace, 3 September 2022
Another goal ruled out on the same weekend amid the controversy at Stamford Bridge came at St James' Park. Newcastle thought they had taken the lead after Tyrick Mitchell's own-goal but it was ruled out after an alleged foul on Palace goalkeeper Vicente Guaita from Joe Willock.
Replays appeared to show Willock had been pushed in the back by Mitchell in the lead-up to the own-goal, and the independent panel later ruled that disallowing the goal was the wrong decision.
Manchester United 3-1 Arsenal, 4 September 2022
Gabriel Martinelli's early strike was ruled out after a pitchside check (Getty Images)The Gunners suffered their first defeat of the season in controversial circumstances back in September after Gabriel Martinelli's opening goal was ruled out.
The referee went to the pitchside monitor and deemed Martin Odegaard fouled Christian Eriksen in the build-up, and the goal was chalked off. It was arguably the highest-profile error the panel acknowledged during the first half of the season.
Fulham 3-0 Aston Villa, 20 October 2022
In Steven Gerrard's final game as Villa boss, Douglas Luiz was shown a red card after an off-the-ball clash with Aleksandar Mitrovic. The Fulham striker went down holding his face and the referee was summoned to the pitchside monitor before dismissing the Villa midfielder.
Replays suggested it was Mitrovic who instigated the bust-up, and it was another decision the independent panel ruled incorrect.
Nottingham Forest 2-2 Brentford, 5 November 2022
A penalty was awarded after slight contact was made between Yoane Wissa and Dean Henderson (Getty Images)Before the World Cup break, there was controversy at the City Ground after a penalty was awarded for an alleged foul by Dean Henderson on Yoane Wissa. The Brentford striker attempted to take the ball around the Forest goalkeeper and his leg made slight contact with Henderson's arm.
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A pitchside review of the incident led to the referee pointing to the spot, yet replays implied it was Wissa who initiated the contact with Henderson rather than vice versa.
Aston Villa 3-1 Manchester United, 6 November 2022
There was a slightly more nuanced incident at Villa Park on the same weekend as the Wissa-Henderson challenge. The hosts surged to a 2-0 lead after Digne scored from a free kick following Leon Bailey's opener.
The Manchester Evening News claimed Eriksen pointed out to Anthony Taylor that United's wall was further back than the required 10 yards, but the referee failed to take notice of this. In the aftermath of the defeat, Red Devils chiefs contacted PGMOL and the referees' body agreed that Taylor had made a mistake.
Brighton 2-1 Liverpool, 29 January 2023
Fabinho escaped with a yellow card after his rash challenge (AFP via Getty Images)There has also been controversy in the FA Cup this season. Fabinho seemed very lucky to escape with a yellow card following a reckless challenge on Evan Ferguson, with the VAR failing to intervene and ask referee David Coote to reassess the incident pitchside.
Ferguson went off injured and PGMOL later decided there should have been a review of the tackle at the very least, which could have led to a straight red card.
Arsenal 1-1 Brentford, 11 February 2023
In the weekend just gone, there were two more high-profile incidents. At the Emirates, title-chasing Arsenal were pegged back by Toney's equaliser after Lee Mason, the VAR, failed to check the positioning of Christian Norgaard, who assisted the goal having been offside.
Mason only reviewed Ethan Pinnock's involvement in the build-up and found he had been onside, meaning Brentford got away with one and the Gunners had to settle for a draw.
Crystal Palace 1-1 Brighton, 11 February 2023
Pervis Estupinan's opening goal was ruled out for offside (Getty Images)In south London, VAR John Brooks and Hawk-Eye technology incorrectly placed the lines during a check for whether Estupinan had been in an offside position before scoring what he thought was the opening goal.
The referees' body was forced to release a statement in the aftermath of this blunder and the one at the Emirates which read: "PGMOL can confirm its Chief Refereeing Officer Howard Webb has contacted both Arsenal and Brighton & Hove Albion to acknowledge and explain the significant errors in the VAR process in their respective Premier League fixtures on Saturday.
"Both incidents, which were due to human error and related to the analysis of offside situations, are being thoroughly reviewed by PGMOL."
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