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    FA refs chiefs break silence on Mike Dean row after ex-official revealed reason for ‘pathetic’ VAR decision

    REFEREES bosses have broken their silence after Mike Dean admitted he made a “pathetic” mistake while on VAR duties last season.The former ref revealed that he did not correct an on-pitch decision during the heated clash between Chelsea and Tottenham at Stamford Bridge.
    PGMOL have responded to claims made by Mike Dean about VARCredit: AFP
    Dean admitted to not sending Anthony Taylor to review an incident between Cristian Romero and Marc Cucurella last seasonCredit: Reuters
    Dean did not get Anthony Taylor to review an incident between Cristian Romero and Marc Cucurella.
    Romero was spotted pulling the Blues ace’s long-hair during a corner which should have led to a penalty.
    However, Dean did not want to cause Taylor any more “grief” and did not call him to review the moment on the monitor.
    The game would then end in a draw thanks to Harry Kane netting a goal moments after the incident.
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    And now PGMOL – the Professional Game Match Officials Ltd – have issued a statement on Dean’s comments insisting that “strongly refute” Dean’s claim that VARs do not intervene.
    A PGMOL spokesperson said: “VARs undergo extensive training with the focus centered entirely around effectively working with the on-field team of officials to rectify clear and obvious errors.
    “When VARs identify a clear and obvious error by the on-field team and match officials, they should intervene and recommend a review by the referee.
    “We strongly refute any suggestions that VARs do not intervene, for whatever reason, when they have identified a clear and obvious error.”
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    Dean has been a referee in the Premier League for more than two decades before switching to be a VAR full-time.
    He admitted that the incident between Romero and Cucurella should have been reviewed.
    During his revelation, he called the hair pull by Romero “pathetic” and admitted that if he could relive the moment he would have sent Taylor to the monitor. More

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    Mike Dean reveals ‘pathetic’ reason he refused to send Anthony Taylor to check VAR as he admits ‘really bad call’

    FORMER Premier League VAR Mike Dean has admitted he did not send Anthony Taylor to the monitor when Cristian Romero pulled Marc Cucurella’s hair because the official is his “mate”.Dean, 55, retired from all forms of officiating at the end of last season.
    Mike Dean has admitted to a major error while working as a VARCredit: Getty
    Dean admits he should have sent Anthony Taylor, above, to the monitorCredit: Getty
    But at the start of his final campaign, he was involved in a controversial decision while working as the VAR for Spurs’ trip to Chelsea.
    Tottenham salvaged a 2-2 draw thanks to a dramatic stoppage-time header from Harry Kane.
    Moments before the equaliser, Spurs defender Romero pulled the hair of Chelsea’s Cucurella and should have been sent off.
    However, ref Taylor did not spot an infringement and failed to even book the Argentine.
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    Dean came in for criticism because he did not urge Taylor to have a look at the incident on the pitchside monitor.
    Now he has revealed why he made that call.
    Speaking on Up Front with Simon Jordan, he said: “I missed the stupid hair pull at Chelsea versus Tottenham which was pathetic from my point of view.
    “It’s one of them where if I had my time again, what would I do? I’d send Anthony [Taylor] to the screen.
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    Cristiano Romero got away with yanking Marc Cucurella’s hairCredit: Reuters
    “I think I knew if I did send him to the screen… he’s cautioned both managers, he’s had a hell of a game, it’s been such a tough game end to end.
    “I said to Anthony afterwards: ‘I just didn’t want to send you to the screen after what has gone on in the game’.
    “I didn’t want to send him up because he is a mate as well as a referee and I think I didn’t want to send him up because I didn’t want any more grief than he already had.
    “Anthony, he is big and bald and ugly enough to know if he is going to the screen he is going to the screen for a reason. If someone pulls their hair now it’s dead easy. It’s just a brainwave by me, a really bad call by me, and it kind of affected me as VAR going forward.”
    Dean was a Premier League referee for 22 years, before he spent one season in the VAR room.
    From the start of the 2023/24 campaign, he has been Sky Sports’ referee analyst on Soccer Saturday. More

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    Fans rage VAR ‘inconsistency is insane’ as Pickford concedes pen for ‘taking Watkins’ head off’ but Onana didn’t

    FANS fumed “the inconsistency is insane” after Aston Villa were awarded a penalty this afternoon.With Everton already 1-0 down via John McGinn’s 18th minute effort, goalkeeper Jordan Pickford took out Ollie Watkins in the box.
    Ollie Watkins was taken out by Jordan PickfordCredit: Alamy
    Andre Onana got away with this challenge last weekCredit: Rex
    Referee Anthony Taylor wasted no time in pointing to the penalty spot.
    Douglas Luiz calmly converted from 12 yards, with Leon Bailey and Jhon Duran going on to complete the 4-0 rout.
    While few people disputed Villa’s penalty award, many raged at perceived inconsistencies following the decision not to award Wolves a spot kick against Manchester United last week.
    Gary O’Neil’s side felt extremely hard done by when nothing was given, despite Sasa Kalajdzic being taken out by Andre Onana.
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    The Wolves boss fumed after the match: “I’ve spoken to Jon Moss and fair play to him, he apologised, said it was a blatant penalty and that it should have been given.
    “It probably made me feel worse.
    “When you know you were right about something it makes you feel worse about leaving a game with nothing.”
    Fans pointed back to the Onana-Kalajdzic incident after Villa’s penalty award.
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    One wrote: “The inconsistency in this league is insane…
    “Onana did the same thing last week against wolves and that didn’t given but the Pickford one now does.
    “Just be consistent lol.”
    A second fumed: “Still some huge inconsistencies with VAR. You’d expect this sort of technology to be the solution, not the problem.”
    And a third claimed: “It’s been given because of last week.”
    Another added: “Both are penalties. All we need is consistency from those concerned.”
    Anthony Taylor penalised PickfordCredit: Alamy More

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    Gary Lineker blasts ‘poor day for VAR’ after Mac Allister gets ‘nonsense’ red card as fans also blast Szoboszlai ‘dive’

    GARY LINEKER has blasted the officials for sending off Alexis Mac Allister against Bournemouth.The former England striker bemoaned a “poor day for VAR” after Mac Allister was shown a straight red card.
    VAR has been criticised after Alexis Mac Allister was sent offCredit: Reuters
    Gary Lineker bemoaned a poor day for VARCredit: Getty
    Fans also slammed the decision to award a penalty earlier in the match for a challenge on Dominik Szoboszlai.
    Liverpool were given a spot-kick despite viewers claiming the midfielder had dived.
    Mac Allister was sent off on his Anfield debut for a challenge on Ryan Christie by referee Thomas Brammall.
    Reacting to the incident, Lineker tweeted: “Mac Allister sees red but it’s a nonsense. Referee and VAR at Anfield having a poor day.”
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    His dismissal came after the hosts had been awarded a penalty during the first half.
    Joe Rothwell was penalised for a coming together with Szoboszlai inside the area.
    After replays suggested there had been minimal contact, one fan fumed: “How did Liverpool get a penalty for this? It’s clearly more of a dive than foul.”
    Another added: “Yes, that should not have been a penalty to Liverpool after a very obvious dive from Dominik Szoboszlai.”
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    Mohamed Salah was denied by Neto from the resulting spot-kick, but scored the rebound to put Liverpool in front.
    His goal completed a turnaround after Antoine Semenyo had put the Cherries ahead in the third minute.
    Luis Diaz equalised in acrobatic fashion before Salah completed the comeback.
    Diogo Jota’s goal just minutes after Mac Allister’s dismissal sealed a 3-1 win for Jurgen Klopp’s side.
    Mohamed Salah scored via a rebound after Dominik Szoboszlai won a penaltyCredit: AFP More

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    Fans joke Todd Boelhy has ‘signed Anthony Taylor too’ as Chelsea somehow get away with ‘handball’ in box vs Liverpool

    FOOTBALL fans joked Todd Boehly wild spending spree has now extended to referees as Chelsea escaped a huge handball claim in their penalty area. Liverpool were adamant they should have had a spot kick early in the second half at Stamford Bridge.
    Anthony Taylor was in charge of Chelsea’s clash with LiverpoolCredit: Reuters
    Nicolas Jackson deflected the ball to safety with his handCredit: Sky Sports
    Nicolas Jackson deflected a corner back out of play with his hand – although his arm was tucked into his body.
    The new striker claimed it had come off his chest but replays showed he clearly used his hand, albeit probably accidentally.
    But ref Anthony Taylor opted against awarding a penalty.
    And the VAR Darren England agreed after watching the incident back, refusing to send the man in the middle to the pitchside monitor as play resumed.
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    That prompted an outpouring of similar comments on Twitter suggesting the official was the latest big-money transfer arrival for Boehly’s Chelsea.
    One said: “Did Boehly sign Taylor?”
    Another joked: “Crazy to think that Boehly and Eghbali talked Anthony Taylor into an eight-year contract.”
    And a final user referenced the long-held bitterness Chelsea supporters hold towards Taylor by adding: “We’ve finally bought Anthony Taylor to our side.”
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    To make matters worse for Liverpool, Taylor inadvertently got in the way of Dominik Szoboszlai as the Hungarian tried to launch a counter attack.
    However, he did not have to stop the game or perform a drop ball because the referee managed to avoid making contact with the ball.
    One viewer quipped: “Boehly should consider Anthony Taylor as his new DM the way he just blocked off Szoboszlai,” referencing Chelsea’s ongoing pursuit of Moises Caicedo to bolster Mauricio Pochettino’s midfield.
    Another typed: “Anthony Taylor doing a boss job as a DM for Chelsea there.”
    A third wrote: “This is genuinely a hall of fame horror show from Anthony Taylor.”
    And one fan commented: “Anthony Taylor has been Chelsea’s best player.”
    It was a busy day for VAR England who had to chalk off goals for both Mo Salah and Ben Chilwell in the first half.
    Luis Diaz had put Liverpool in front on 18 minutes, sliding in at the back post, before Blues debutant Axel Disasi bundled in an equaliser before the break.
    And it ended 1-1 in Poch’s first competitive game in charge of Chelsea.
    Credit: Twitter
    Todd Boehly was in the stands for the 1-1 draw at Stamford BridgeCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun More

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    Fans fume at cheeky Brentford VAR tactic as they say ‘modern football sucks’ after penalty given against Tottenham

    BRENTFORD star Mathias Jensen booted the ball out of play in order to hasten a VAR check against Tottenham.Spurs had taken the lead against the Bees via Cristian Romero’s 11th minute header.
    Son Heung-min was adjudged to have fouled Mathias Jensen
    Bryan Mbeumo scored from the resulting penaltyCredit: Getty
    The Argentine was immediately forced off as a precaution following a clash of heads.
    And Ange Postecoglou’s side soon came under pressure.
    Jensen went down under a challenge from Tottenham captain Son on 24 minutes.
    The referee initially waved appeals away, with Spurs playing on.
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    After numerous passes by Tottenham players Brentford finally won the ball back.
    And Jensen made no attempt to counter attack, instead smacking the ball straight out of play to trigger a VAR check.
    The referee was subsequently sent to review Son’s challenge on the pitchside monitor, before giving a penalty.
    Bryan Mbeumo made no mistake from the spot, levelling at 1-1.
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    Fans couldn’t help but notice Jensen’s antics.
    One tweeted: “Brentford deliberately kicking it out of play so the ref can check VAR.
    “Modern football sucks.”
    A second moaned: “Strange thing about modern football now seeing the Brentford player boot the ball out instead of going on a counter so they could trigger the VAR review for something that happened minutes later.”
    They then added: “And it was smart because they got the penalty instead of wasting more energy attacking/defending.”
    Another pointed to Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi’s previous VAR controversy.
    They wrote: “The sweep of the Brentford player to get the VAR checked knows a lot about Simone Inzaghi.”
    Thomas Frank’s side went on to take the lead in the 36th minute, when Yoane Wissa’s strike was deflected beyond Guglielmo Vicario.
    Four minutes into the 11 added on at the end of the first half, Emerson Royal’s rasping strike from the edge of the box saw Spurs level at 2-2.
    Jensen insisted on putting the ball out of playCredit: AP More

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    Ten major Premier League changes this season including Champions League qualification, winter break and tough new laws

    THERE will be huge changes to the Premier League this season, including for European qualification and tough new laws.Prem action returns on Friday night when Treble winners Manchester City head to newly-promoted Burnley.
    Luton will be the 51st team to play in the Premier LeagueCredit: Getty
    More time will now be added to cut out time-wastingCredit: Getty

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    With many new things for fans to keep a look out for, SunSport run you through the biggest changes…
    New team in town
    Luton will become the 51st different side to play in the Premier League since it was formed in 1993-94.
    New balls please
    Players will be kicking around a new ball this season – the Nike Flight has black lines and “splashes of orange” on it.
    There will be an extra “multiball” cone stand on the half way line opposite the dug-outs.
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    The new Nike Flight Premier League ball comes into play this seasonCredit: Nike
    Numbers and fonts
    This is the fourth redesign of the official Premier League font for numbers and names.
    All sides must use the same font and from this season it will be “bolder” with bigger numbers being used.
    There is also now a standalone Premier League lion badge on shirt sleeves.
    The new numbers have been shown offCredit: https://www.premierleague.com/news/3109195
    There will also be a lion badge on sleevesCredit: https://www.premierleague.com/news/3109195
    Whistleblowers
    Tim Robinson and Darren Bond are new full-time referees following the retirement of Andre Marriner.
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    Changing times
    All stoppages except for bookings must be calculated “exactly” by officials.
    PGMOL chiefs expect it to mean an average of just under 12 minutes of additional time per match.
    Already it’s causing a major stir, with Manchester United defender Raphael Varane releasing a statement over the changes.
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    Lay down the law
    Two major law changes will be implemented this season.
    A player adjudged to be “challenging for the ball” when they “deny an obvious goalscoring opportunity” in the box will only be yellow carded even if they are not attempting to play the ball.
    Fifa and Ifab have also clarified what is now deemed “deliberate play” by defenders with regards to offside.
    If a player is considered to be in control of the pass, attempt to gain possession or clearance, this would be a ‘deliberate play’ and the attacker in an offside position should not be penalised for offside.
    An inaccurate or unsuccessful action does not change that the defender “deliberately played” the ball.
    Behaviour clampdown
    Tough new rules for players and bosses include yellow cards for any time-wasting and automatic bans for three yellow cards for any coach or manager.
    Bookings must be handed out if two or more players surround an official.
    There is a lower bar for dissent as Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta found out in the Community Shield, as he was booked for waving an imaginary card and protesting a decision.
    Mikel Arteta was stung by the new rules at WembleyCredit: PA
    VAR from over
    An extra two VAR cameras at each end will mean the end of “blind spots”.
    This should help with tight offside calls and highlight any before missed incidences.
    Winter break
    The winter break is back, probably for one season only, with a full set of ten fixtures split across two weekends in mid-January to give the players a guaranteed rest.
    Time for Manchester United’s Anthony Martial to get those winter gloves out.
    Fifth Champions League spot
    The team that comes fifth will likely get an automatic seat in the Champions League for the following season.
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    But only if English teams teams are among the top two performers across the three Uefa club competitions.
    They have been for six of the past seven seasons – last term both the Champions League and Conference League were won by Prem sides Manchester City and West Ham respectively.
    There could be an extra place in the Champions League for English teamsCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun More

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    Blundering ref who stepped down after huge VAR error re-hired by bosses… to TRAIN referees

    PREMIER LEAGUE blunder referee Lee Mason has been re-hired by PGMOL to train referees. Mason stepped down from his position as a Video Assistant Referee after a spectacular error during Arsenal’s clash with Brentford in February.
    Lee Mason has been re-hired by PGMOLCredit: Getty
    It comes after a huge VAR error during Arsenal’s clash with BrentfordCredit: AFP

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    The 51-year-old came under fire after failing to spot an offside in the build-up to Brentford’s equaliser against the then title-chasing Gunners.
    Mason supposedly forgot to draw the lines to see whether Christian Norgaard was offside as Ivan Toney bagged a 74th-minute equaliser.
    He was not picked for VAR duty the following weekend before it was confirmed he had “departed the organisation by mutual consent”.
    However, PGMOL have now turned to Mason to train other referees.
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    The Daily Mail report Mason will work with officials in the Prem, EFL and Women’s Super League, with a particular focus on League One and League Two.
    They add Mason will not work on VAR.
    Former Prem ref Keith Hackett was critical of the move, saying: “The guy who did not set the world alight in the middle but was a survivor and an abject failure in the VAR role will be advising and passing on his skill sets to others.”
    Suffice to say, the move has not gone down very well with fans either.
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    Taking to Twitter, one fan wrote: “You cannot make it up. This is a man who forgot to draw offside lines during the #Arsenal vs Brentford game. Shambles.”
    A second said: “What nonsense!”
    “Lmao this is psychotic, Lee Mason was actively bad at his job and now he’s training the next batch of refs 😂,” remarked a third.
    A fourth typed: “God help us all.”
    While a fifth added: “Shameless.”
    Mason retired from his on-field ref duties at the end of the 2020/21 season after 15 years on the job. More