The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), the body responsible for referees in the Premier League, has made a significant decision regarding an official who was previously barred from officiating Liverpool matches. This comes after a controversial incident last season that led to his removal.
In October of the previous year, referee Darren England was removed from duty following a "significant" human error during Liverpool's 2-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur. Luis Díaz had scored what appeared to be a legitimate goal, but it was disallowed for offside during the Premier League match in North London. However, replays clearly indicated he was onside.
A day later, PGMOL admitted it was a "clear and obvious factual error" and should have resulted in the goal being awarded through VAR intervention. This admission did not sit well with Liverpool who released a statement saying that PGMOL's explanation was "unacceptable". Consequently, England, who served as the video assistant referee that day, found himself removed from officiating duties. According to The Telegraph report at that time, England's mistake would affect him financially as he got axed from officiating Liverpool for the rest of 2023/24 campaign.
A return after almost a year
Almost one year after this much-discussed incident occurred; Darren England is set to return to action involving Liverpool when they face Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday afternoon. The 38-year-old has been named as fourth official for this Premier League fixture while Anthony Taylor will serve as main referee at Molineux Stadium.
Adam Nunn and Gary Beswick will assist Taylor with Michael Salisbury and Dan Robathan overseeing VAR operations.
Fallout from last season’s incident
Last season’s incident at Anfield drew widespread attention and criticism leading Liverpool to submit a formal request to PGMOL to release the VAR audio from the match. In response, PGMOL released the audio to the public and acknowledged that standards "fell short of expectations."
In an effort to improve VAR performance, PGMOL initiated a new training programme focusing on process and best practice for all VARs, AVARs and Replay Operators in their specific roles.
They stated: "While we have a number of FIFA-recognised VARs, work is ongoing to create a dedicated pool of VAR specialists." The return of Darren England marks an important step in moving forward from last season's controversy. It also underlines PGMOL's commitment towards enhancing officiating standards in Premier League matches through continuous training and development programmes.
