First Premier League manager comes out to DISAGREE with Jurgen Klopp over replay
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Jurgen Klopp has called on the Premier League to replay Liverpool’s defeat to Spurs following the VAR error that saw Luis Diaz’s goal wrongly ruled out
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery insists Tottenham’s win over Liverpool at the weekend should NOT be replayed, despite the Premier League’s biggest-ever VAR blunder.
A significant VAR error ruled out Luis Diaz’s goal in North London, with the Reds ace flagged offside. Replays showed he was actually onside although Darren England, the VAR, mistakenly believed the on-field decision had been to award the goal, leading him to tell referee Simon Hooper the check was complete.
Liverpool’s complaints promoted the publication of the audio between officials which revealed the first person to spot the mistake was the replay operator, who urged the team of officials to stop the game, but the VAR and assistant VAR repeatedly said they could not intervene because play had restarted.
And Jurgen Klopp has insisted that such an unprecedented scenario should see the game – won 2-1 by Spurs – replayed.
But Villa boss Emery, speaking ahead of his side’s Europa Conference League clash against Bosnian side Zrinjski, said: “Before when we didn’t have VAR, there were a lot of mistakes – more than now.
“Now I can accept some mistakes in VAR. They are only a few… small mistakes. Of course for Liverpool it was a big mistake in the last match against Tottenham but we have to accept because before, without VAR, there were more and more and more.
“I listened to the conversation between the referees, because it’s popular, and they were concerned about their mistake but they couldn’t react they had started playing again. It’s a mistake. I accept it. Of course, for Liverpool it is more difficult.
“For Jurgen too it’s more difficult but I accept it. I know before VAR came in there were more mistakes than now. But you have to accept it like before if there is a mistake. So no, no (to a replay) You have to accept it like before, when we were without VAR.”
Emery is also certain Ollie Watkins will commit his long-term future to the Villans.
The Spaniard was in bullish mood over the outcome of talks between player and club that have been going on for six months. Watkins grabbed his second hat-trick of the season against Brighton, becoming the first Villa player to achieve that feat since Andy Gray during the 1976-77 campaign.
Emery said: “The club and him are talking and we can be optimistic at the possibility he will extend his contract. I’m 100 per cent confident because I think he is happy here and he is progressing. He’s taking on a new challenge with us.”
Emery may rest his main striker – he used Jhon Duran for Villa’s opening Europa Conference League game – on Thursday and is likely to do so again with a West…
Read More: First Premier League manager comes out to DISAGREE with Jurgen Klopp over replay 2023-10-04 21:30:08