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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
James Quinlan

Fresh VAR figures expose real truth about Liverpool and referees

Liverpool have been named as one of the top three clubs in the Premier League to benefit from VAR decisions throughout the course of the 2022/23 campaign.

Since 2019, the English top-flight's referees have been able to utilise video technology for the purpose of reaching correct decisions. Whilst that is the case in the most part, PGMOL and its officials are under more scrutiny than ever to carry out their roles as quickly and effectively as possible in order to come to the correct conclusions.

Now the season has ended, the total number of decisions for and against each club have been compiled by ESPN in order to produce an VAR net score table. Liverpool have found themselves joint-second on the list, equal with Fulham with a net score of five, and trailing only Brentford.

Liverpool's score came as a result of 13 overturned calls split across their 38 fixtures - eight in their favour and five against.

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In addition, the Reds' top four rivals Manchester United and Newcastle ended the season with net scores of zero and one respectively, whilst champions Manchester City achieved a net score of minus four.

On the surface of these results, many would be quick to point the finger and jeer 'LiVARpool' in the direction of Anfield, however in reality these results only serve to back what Jurgen Klopp has been arguing for a number of months now - Liverpool are not the beneficiaries of VAR's correct decisions, but are in fact hindered more often than most by wrong ones made by Premier League referees.

The Liverpool manager's most notable outburst followed Paul Tierney's general decision-making made during Liverpool's last-gasp victory over Tottenham in April, and was one that earned him a two-game touchline ban.

"We have our history with Tierney, I really don't know what he has against us. He has said there [are] no problems but that cannot be true.

"How he looks at me, I don't understand it. In England nobody has to clarify these situations, it's really tricky and hard to understand.

"What he said to me when he gave me the yellow card is not OK."

Again, earlier in 2023, the German had some strong words to say following what he believed to be a foul on Ibrahima Konate by Bryan Mbeumo in the build-up to the Bees' third goal en route to a statement victory in the capital.

Asked if he had spoken to the officials, he said: "Yeah, but actually that's exactly the same as I would talk to my microwave, you get no response, really. It's always the same.

"Before the season they gave us advice that the players have to be careful in these moments because the refs will have an eye on it. You see in these games pretty much everything is allowed, it's always on the edge and they are using it."

Whether this war of words continues before we witness genuine change, only time will tell.

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