Liverpool penalty against Crystal Palace was the wrong call, the referee was hung out to dry by VAR – Mark Halsey | OneFootball

Liverpool should NOT have been awarded a penalty when Diogo Jota collided with Crystal Palace keeper Vicente Guaita.

Referee Kevin Friend had a great view and made the right decision in the first place by giving a goal kick.

But Friend has been left hung out to dry by VAR official Craig Pawson.

Jota moved into the path of the keeper to initiate the contact, it wasn’t a penalty and I can’t believe Pawson thought it was a spot-kick.

Remember, Pawson was also the VAR when he failed to recommend a review for Newcastle when Ryan Fraser was cleaned out by Manchester City’s keeper Ederson.

The inconsistency of deciding which key match incidents we review is becoming an embarrassment. Why didn’t Allan Saint-Maximin receive a penalty for an obvious foul at Leeds on Saturday?

I’m fed up of talking about this week after week, month after month. VAR was supposed to improve the game but it hasn’t.

It’s not just the decision-making, it’s the length of time too. Friend and Pawson took over three and a half minutes and we still came to the wrong outcome.

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I also ask, why Friend was not strong enough to stick with his original decision? I’m reliably informed that once VAR recommends a review the ref is ordered to follow that decision.

That needs to change moving forward. And we need to hear the conversations between refs and VAR officials so there is full transparency.

Thiago Silva used all his experience to win a free-kick after the Chelsea defender was fouled by Harry Kane.

The Tottenham striker saw his first-half strike ruled out after he was adjudged to have pushed Silva to the ground.

There was the slightest contact from Kane and it was a subjective decision by referee Paul Tierney.

Yes, when there is contact at pace then players can lose their balance.

Thiago Silva and Harry Kane in action during Chelsea’s win over Tottenham

But had Tierney awarded the goal then I don’t think it would have been overturned by VAR.

Tierney held his whistle so VAR was able to check the incident and they went with the on-field decision because they felt it was not a clear and obvious error.

Ashley Westwood was lucky not to be sent off for his stamp on Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney.

The Burnley midfielder was very late and the ball had already gone.

Westwood could have avoided Tierney but referee David Coote deemed it was worthy of a yellow card.

However, this incident should have been recommended for a review by VAR official Chris Kavanagh for violent conduct.

Once again it highlighted the inconsistency of the Premier League’s use of VAR.