Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Samuel Meade

Premier League axe ref Kevin Friend from next fixtures after Diogo Jota penalty gaffe

Referee Kevin Friend will not be selected for the next round of Premier League fixtures.

The last time he officiated a game he awarded Liverpool a highly controversial penalty in their 3-1 win at Crystal Palace.

With the score at 2-1 Diogo Jota raced clear and bundled into Eagles goalkeeper Vicente Guaita with minutes remaining.

Friend gave a goal kick before VAR begun checking for a penalty with the man at Stokely Park, Craig Pawson, advising him to go to the monitor.

As has been the case this season, Friend analysed the slow motion replays and changed his decision.

It was the 49th time a referee had been advised to consult the pitch side monitor and every time the original decision has been changed.

Have Your Say! Did you think Kevin Friend got the penalty decision correct? Tell us here.

Diogo Jota was awarded a penalty after VAR intervention (Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Friend's reversal copped heavy criticism and he will not be given a game when the team's resume their fixtures in the middle of next week.

He has also not been selected for VAR duty.

The PGMOL have stressed that all Select Group 1 referees are rotated and three officiate on EFL games each week.

Rob Jones is also on an EFL game this week, while Andre Marriner is a fourth official on a PL game and officiating an EFL fixture.

Patrick Vieira was incensed by the decision, with the ball seemingly beyond Jota when he clashed with Guaita.

“I don’t even want to talk about it,” the Palace boss said after the game, before then saying: “That was a really poor decision from the referee.

“I looked at it from every angle and I still don’t understand how that can be a penalty. In meetings with the referees they explained to coaches that contact is part of the game, and if there is not obvious contact there is not going to be a penalty.

“Here, there was no way Jota – who I believe was really smart, and the referee quite naive – could get the ball back and try to score.

"That decision took our hope away of getting back into the game and getting a point.”

Former Premier League ref Dermott Gallagher claimed after the contest that he thought the original decision not to award a penalty was the right one.

He said on Sky Sports: "It’s not a penalty. Guaita passed the ball and stepped into Guaita.

"On-field referee Kevin Friend didn’t think a penalty had been imposed but the VAR [Craig Pawson] felt he had made a mistake and sent it to the screen and the referee changed his mind.

"I was surprised, I thought he would stick to his gun. In the eyes of the VAR, it was a clear and obvious mistake, so it is his prerogative to send it to the screen.

"The referee then moves to the screen with a white board and decides to use the VAR technique."

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.