Rio Ferdinand questions ‘who is taking ownership’ of VAR mistakes after audio is released from Spurs and Liverpool’s clash… as former defender insists dialogue between VAR officials should be available ‘all the time’

Rio Ferdinand has called for dialogue between VAR officials to be available ‘all the time’ after PGMOL released the full audio from the VAR room after the fiasco during Tottenham’s 2-1 win over Liverpool.

In the match, Liverpool forward Luis Diaz had a goal incorrectly chalked for offside, with the refereeing body immediately apologising to the Jurgen Klopp’s side after the match admitting that ‘a significant human error occurred’ when the Colombian’s goal was ruled out.

The PGMOL have now released the full audio from the VAR and Ferdinand suggests that this is something which should be common-place in the top-flight. 

‘Well this is high level stuff, this is the Premier League. Beamed around the world. Huge investment in our game. In this type of situation, I’m looking at who is taking ownership of that situation,’ Ferdinand said on TNT Sport.

‘Who is the boss who is leading that there? It looks like they’re all in there and no one knows who is taking ownership and that is the problem.

Rio Ferdinand has called for dialogue between VAR officials to be available ‘all the time’

The PGMOL have released the full audio from the VAR hub during Liverpool ‘s controversial 2-1 defeat to Tottenham, that saw referee Simon Hooper incorrectly disallow the Reds a goal

‘I would love to hear this conversation, this dialogue all the time. I would love this standard of communication to be open all the time so we can hear it. So there’s transparency and clarity. 

‘At the moment people think what’s going on here is there someon working behind the scens here, so if you get that transparency you take away a lot of that element. I just think you need

‘Someone to get hold of it, and go – you know what there I am. There’s no bass in that room, zero bass.’

The incident at Tottenham has been a major talking point from the weekend’s Premier League action, with Liverpool subsequently demanding ‘escalation and resolution to the matter, releasing a strongly worded statement following the PGMOL’s admission. 

The Reds had also demanded to hear the audio and the PGMOL have subsequently now released the full recording from the match. 

They have also provided some information to go along with the footage, writing: ‘PGMOL has carried out a review into the circumstances which led to this incorrect outcome and the subsequent learnings will be implemented to mitigate the risk of errors occurring in the future.’ 

On review of the footage, says: ‘Check complete, check complete that’s fine.’ 

After the referee waves play on, the replay operator is overheard on the footage saying: ‘Wait wait wait. On field decision was offside. Are you happy with this?’

Liverpool have made a formal request to receive the VAR audio from the decision to disallow Luis Diaz’s goal for offside against Tottenham 

The assistant VAR then responds saying: ‘Offside, goal, yeah. That’s wrong that, Diaz.’

The replay operator then says: ‘On field decision was offside are you happy with this image? Yeah it’s onside. The image that we gave them is onside.’

Assistant VAR: ‘He’s played him, he’s gone offside.’ VAR: ‘Oh f***.’ Replay operator: ‘Delay delay. Oli’s saying to delay. Oli’s saying to delay.’

VAR: ‘Pardon?’ Replay operator: ‘Oli’s calling in to say to delay the game. The decision is onside.’ VAR: ‘Can’t do anything.’

Replay operator: ‘Oli’s saying to delay. Replay operator: ‘Delay the game, stop the game.’ VAR: ‘They’ve restarted the game. Can’t do anything. Can’t do anything. 

Assistant VAR: ‘Yeah, they’ve restarted. Yeah.’ Along with the footage, the PGMOL released the following statement. 

They wrote: ‘PGMOL can confirm that we have carried out a review into the circumstances which led to the Luis Diaz goal being incorrectly disallowed for offside in the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Liverpool FC.