PREMIER LEAGUE chiefs remain convinced they have “the best referees in the world” — and insist that other countries AGREE.
As officials in Spain discussed going on strike in protest at abuse from fans and clubs, the Prem’s chief football officer claimed that top-flight whistlers are better than they have ever been.
Chiefs reckon Premier League refs are the world’s best despite some high-profile errors[/caption]
Michael Oliver’s red card for Myles Lewis-Skelly was later overturned[/caption]
Tony Scholes said: “One of our main targets is to have the best match officials in the world — and we do.
“We have ten officials on the Fifa list and two of them — Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor — are in the top ten in the world according to Fifa.
“Other leagues around the world look up to the officials and VAR process in this country as a model they would like to follow.
“That’s the message we get from people around the world.”
But Oliver and Taylor have been at the centre of major controversies this season.
Oliver red-carded Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly for ‘serious foul play’ at Wolves last month but the player’s three-match ban was overturned on appeal.
He was also the VAR who advised ref David Coote to review an injury-time incident when West Ham beat Manchester United after being awarded a late penalty — that ultimately led to Old Trafford boss Erik ten Hag’s October sacking.
And Taylor giving Brighton a penalty against Arsenal last month when William Saliba ‘headed’ Joao Pedro led to Gunners fury.
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Yet that West Ham spot-kick is one of only FOUR mistakes after a VAR intervention so far this season — according to the Prem’s key match incident panel, which including ex-players, managers and referees.
The panel also highlighted another nine incidents where the VAR should have intervened.
Those four VAR errors . . .
BOURNEMOUTH 1 NEWCASTLE 1
Dango Ouattara’s late ‘winner’ was wrongly chalked off for handball after being awarded on the field.
WEST HAM 2 MAN UTD 1
Hammers’ stoppage-time spot-kick winner came after Michael Oliver advised David Coote to review Matthijs de Ligt’s contact with Danny Ings.
EVERTON 0 BRENTFORD 0
Christian Norgaard should not have received a red card for ploughing into keeper Jordan Pickford.
NOTTM FOREST 3 SOUTHAMPTON 2
Nikola Milenkovic’s goal was ruled out for subjective offside against Chris Wood, but VAR should not have got involved.
That figure is markedly down from the total of 20 cock-ups at the same point of last season and 25 at the corresponding time in 2022-23.
Scholes added: “Nobody under-estimates the gigantic impact of any single error.
“They can cost a club points, managers their jobs, players their place in the team and have a huge impact on a game of such high stakes
“But, while there were four incorrect interventions, that means 66 correct ones while the total errors are down.”
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