League Managers Association chief makes major VAR claim after Liverpool controversy at Man City

Manchester City were leading 1-0 at the Etihad on Sunday when Virgil van Dijk thought he had levelled for Liverpool

League Managers Association (LMA) chief executive Richard Bevan has revealed that Premier League clubs are pushing for major changes to VAR amid the controversy surrounding Liverpool's disallowed goal against Manchester City. The Reds thought they had levelled at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

City were leading 1-0 through Erling Haaland when Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk's header from a Mohamed Salah corner was chalked off when VAR Michael Oliver deemed Andy Robertson to have been stood in an offside position in front of home goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Pep Guardiola's side went on to win 3-0 thanks to further strikes from Nico Gonzalez and Jeremy Doku.

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READ MORE : Andy Robertson gives Liverpool dressing room view on goal controversy - 'Everyone can rule that out'

And speaking exclusively on the Footy Accumulators No Tippy Tappy Football podcast, in partnership with BOYLE Sports, Bevan explained that managers have been meeting with Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) boss Howard Webb to try to force referees and VARs to be paired together - as they are convinced that consistency will improve the number of correct decisions.

The LMA chief said: “We’ve had a lot of Premier League managers' meetings with Howard Webb about VAR, some good and some not so good.

“Premier League managers would like to see the VAR referee being someone who is refereeing with the man on the pitch every week, so there’s not a nervous relationship.

“That’s so they understand each other, they understand how they operate to a greater degree, and Howard Webb and PGMOL are working towards that.

“Recruitment is a big issue for them, and training and development. I think they will get there eventually, but it's about trying to make fewer errors, because VAR is here to stay.

“The VAR referee should be permanent, not one week on and one week off. The more games that they do, then practice makes perfect.”

Former Bolton Wanderers, Newcastle United and England boss Sam Allardyce, also speaking on the podcast he stars, thinks the change would be beneficial.

He said: “There’s nothing wrong with VAR, there never has been. Unfortunately, it’s human error. Stop complicating the game, and let it be simple like it always was.

“Referees don’t like looking after VAR, they want to be on the pitch refereeing.

“They should use referees who are just retired and still sharp, as they will likely have very little to do. They will know the rules and regulations better than anyone.

“However, they need to improve their numbers. I remember talking to referees when I was finishing about how much they do.

"We talk about fatigue in players but not referees, especially when they’re in Europe. They can be doing four games a week as referee, fourth official, and VAR, you can’t flog them to death.”

Liverpool have contacted the PGMOL to raise significant concerns about Van Dijk's disallowed goal at City.

It is understood the Reds do not accept the premise the decision was arrived at for subjective reasons - and reject suggestions that the view of Donnarumma was impeded by Robertson, who ducked under Van Dijk's header, on the basis he was clearly not in the keeper's line of vision.

The wording of law 11 - which deals with offside - is in the view of Liverpool criteria-based, with the club therefore insistent no elements of that criteria were met and the goal should have been allowed to stand.

The law states a player in an offside position can only become actively involved in play by: playing or touching a ball passed or touched by a team-mate; preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent’s line of vision; challenging an opponent for the ball or clearly attempting to play a ball which is close when this action impacts on an opponent; or by making an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball.

The Reds have scrutinised all available footage from multiple angles and are adamant the goal should have stood.

The ECHO understands they have now contacted PGMOL chief Webb to express their concerns over the decision and how it was arrived at.

Liverpool accept that while such calls are rarely straightforward, they have questioned how the outcome was reached given the checks and balances that are central to the VAR process and are strengthened by all available angles and audio.

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