David Coote will take charge of VAR in the Arsenal Vs. Liverpool game on Sunday, despite PGMOL boss Howard Webb admitting the referee should have awarded Liverpool a penalty in the return fixture.
Liverpool Vs. Arsenal Penalty Controversy
In Liverpool‘s crucial Premier League fixture against fellow title chasers Arsenal in December, Gunners captain Martin Odegaard appeared to handle the ball in the penalty area.
Mikel Arteta’s side got away with it and the game ended 1-1, much to the dismay of Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, who said following the game: “Yes I have seen it. I am pretty sure someone will come to explain it to me why it was not a handball but I don’t know how?
“I don’t say that the ref can see it because I don’t know where he was in that moment.
“But how can a guy in an office see that and not come to the conclusion that maybe, possibly it could be worth the referee having another look?”
Struggling to see how Martin Odegaard escaped a handball penalty.
Arm going into the body IS an exemption, but that's a real stretch here.
As I say, far bigger controversies about the VAR not getting involved rather than perceived re-refereeing.pic.twitter.com/LS5mVWoTyX
— Dale Johnson (@DaleJohnsonESPN) December 23, 2023
Webb On The Liverpool Vs. Arsenal Incident
In the aftermath of the game, PGMOL boss Howard Webb had his say on the incident and suggested that a penalty should have been given.
Speaking on Michael Owen’s Match Officials Mic’d Up, Webb said: “The referee on the field recognised that Odegaard had slipped and saw his arm go to ground, we’ve talked in the past about supporting arms if somebody breaks their fall with the arm it’s very natural, and that’s a pretty well-established concept.
“In this situation, though there’s an important difference to a normal player that’s fallen, it’s not just Odegaard accidentally falling onto the ball. He does slip, the arm does go out, but he actually pulls his arm back in towards his body which is when the ball makes contact with the arm.
“The VAR looked at it and thought it was a case of Odegaard trying to make himself smaller by bringing the arm back towards the body. That’s the element that’s important here – whether it’s instinctive or deliberate he gets a huge advantage by bringing the arm back towards the ball, and the feedback we got back was very clear; the game expects a penalty, in this situation. I would agree, and as such I think this was one that didn’t reach the right outcome.”
Coote Named As VAR For Arsenal Vs Liverpool
Despite Howard Webb effectively throwing him under the bus, the VAR official responsible for the error, David Coote, has been named as the VAR official for the Premier League return fixture between the two clubs.
Football fans on Twitter have had their say on PGMOL’s bizarre decision below.
The PGMOL are actually too funny…
Howard Webb came on Sky Sports and confirmed that David Coote on VAR should have given a handball on Odegaard vs Liverpool.
So what have they done? They've put David Coote on VAR for Arsenal v Liverpool this weekend 😂😂😂
— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) January 30, 2024
Live scenes of Howard Webb sticking Anthony Taylor as referee and David Coote on VAR on Liverpool's game against Arsenal 💀 pic.twitter.com/VGQImzypJc
— Will (@lfc_arrow) January 30, 2024
David Coote has been named as VAR for Liverpools game Vs Arsenal
David Coote was the VAR for the last time the 2 clubs faced off against each other, David Coote failed to award the Odegaard handball. pic.twitter.com/Kg3nbsWg7E
— Prime Liverpool (@footiestatto) January 30, 2024
David Coote was on VAR in the reverse fixture and didn't award the penalty for handball – in which PGMOL chief Howard Webb said he did not apply the laws correctly…
Yet he's assigned to this game on VAR also. https://t.co/R8JP8eW30U
— Anfield Sector (@AnfieldSector) January 30, 2024
Add Sportslens to your Google News Feed!
