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The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) has admitted that VAR made two “significant errors” during this weekend’s Premier League action, including Brentford’s equaliser against Arsenal on Saturday afternoon.
The Gunners broke the deadlock at the Emirates Stadium in the 66th minute through January signing Leandro Trossard but the lead was short-lived as Ivan Toney equalised from close range just eight minutes later.
However, it emerged on Saturday evening that VAR Lee Mason had forgotten to draw the relevant offside lines in the build-up to the goal, with midfielder Christian Norgaard, who assisted Toney, actually offside.
Now, the PGMOL have released a statement which reads: “PGMOL can confirm its Chief Refereeing Officer Howard Webb has contacted both Arsenal and Brighton & Hove Albion to acknowledge and explain the significant errors in the VAR process in their respective Premier League fixtures on Saturday.”
The statement will be little consolation to Mikel Arteta, who called out the officiating after the full-time whistle. “I just looked back and it is offside,” Arteta said after the match.
“Have they explained why it wasn’t allowed? No. It is frustrating but they will probably give an explanation later in the week. Today we haven’t got one.
“You have to apply certain principles in defending and you do that by sticking to the rules. Suddenly you change the rules and then you have to change your principles. So tell us before so then you don’t hold the [defensive] line that high. You cannot block if you are offside.”
