The unbeaten start Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham Hotspur side has enjoyed at the start of the English Premier League season has continued against Liverpool, but only just.
In a drama-filled day at Spurs, Liverpool had two players sent off and an early goal denied by "significant human error" from the referees as the home side walked away 2-1 winners.
Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones was the match's first red card in the 26th minute, but the Reds looked like they'd gone ahead not long after when Luis Diaz put one away in the bottom corner.
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But the goal was called back – flagged offside by the sideline official. VAR did not overrule the decision after a brief review, despite replays appearing to show Diaz clearly onside.
No offside lines were shown on the replay.
Not long later, Son Heung-min broke the deadlock for the home side, before Cody Gakpo equalised for the Reds in injury time of the first half.
Diogo Jota became Liverpool's second player sent off in the 69th, but the Spurs still couldn't capitalise. It took a Joel Matip own goal in the sixth minute of injury time to give Tottenham the points.
Shortly after full time, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) issued a statement saying the VAR's failure to overturn the Diaz offiside decision was a "clear and obvious factual error".
The body also promised a full review would be conducted.
"The goal by Luis Diaz was disallowed for offside by the on-field team of match officials. This was a clear and obvious factual error and should have resulted in the goal being awarded through VAR intervention. However, the VAR failed to intervene," the statement read.
"PGMOL will immediately be contacting Liverpool at the conclusion of the fixture to acknowledge the error."
Reds manager Jurgen Klopp said the referee's decisions throughout the match were "unfair" and "crazy".
"That is not offside when you see it," Klopp said on Sky Sports.
"The ball is between Mo [Salah]'s legs, they drew the line wrong and didn't judge the moment when Mo passed the ball right."
The PGMOL has been forced to make several similar statements in the past 12 months after refereeing blunders.
In August, Wolverhampton Wanderers were denied a potential penalty and a chance to equalise against Manchester United after the VAR failed to instruct the on-field referee to check for a foul inside the United box.
On the PGMOL statements, Klopp suggested they didn't help anyone.
"Who does that help? We had that situation in the Man United game. Did Wolves get points for it?," he said in his press conference.
"We won't get points for it. We all thought that when VAR came in it would make things easier.
"The decision was made really quick for that decision. It changed the momentum of the game."
In failing to capitalise on the two-man advantage, Postecoglou said his side were far from their best.
"I am trying to process everything at the moment. We played a top class opponent, but we done it late. Winning it late always adds belief," he told Sky Sports.
"We didn't handle it too well when they went down to 10 men. Liverpool and their game doesn't change, even if they go down to 10 men. We were better in the second half.
"The second red came from us continuously putting them under pressure. We still probably didn't vary our attacks enough. We just didn't vary it enough, but I am being picky. We remain in our infancy.
"I am [happy] but these things can unravel quickly. My role is to keep pushing them. These results allow me to keep pushing.
"I have not given us a target. If I had goals and dreams then I would have surpassed them 15 years ago. My thing is keep improving and see where it takes us."
Ange's Spurs sit in a tie for second with Arsenal on the Premier League table after seven games, with five wins and two draws. They're a point behind table-topping Manchester United, and now go a point clear of Liverpool.
The unbeaten start Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham Hotspur side has enjoyed at the start of the English Premier League season has continued against Liverpool, but only just.
In a drama-filled day at Spurs, Liverpool had two players sent off and an early goal denied by "significant human error" from the referees as the home side walked away 2-1 winners.
Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones was the match's first red card in the 26th minute, but the Reds looked like they'd gone ahead not long after when Luis Diaz put one away in the bottom corner.
FOLLOW LIVE: NRL Grand Final day 2023
READ MORE: Fagan's take on 'ridiculous' call that cruelled Lions
READ MORE: Olympian, Dally M winner in 'match-up for the ages'
But the goal was called back – flagged offside by the sideline official. VAR did not overrule the decision after a brief review, despite replays appearing to show Diaz clearly onside.
No offside lines were shown on the replay.
Not long later, Son Heung-min broke the deadlock for the home side, before Cody Gakpo equalised for the Reds in injury time of the first half.
Diogo Jota became Liverpool's second player sent off in the 69th, but the Spurs still couldn't capitalise. It took a Joel Matip own goal in the sixth minute of injury time to give Tottenham the points.
Shortly after full time, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) issued a statement saying the VAR's failure to overturn the Diaz offiside decision was a "clear and obvious factual error".
The body also promised a full review would be conducted.
"The goal by Luis Diaz was disallowed for offside by the on-field team of match officials. This was a clear and obvious factual error and should have resulted in the goal being awarded through VAR intervention. However, the VAR failed to intervene," the statement read.
"PGMOL will immediately be contacting Liverpool at the conclusion of the fixture to acknowledge the error."
Reds manager Jurgen Klopp said the referee's decisions throughout the match were "unfair" and "crazy".
"That is not offside when you see it," Klopp said on Sky Sports.
"The ball is between Mo [Salah]'s legs, they drew the line wrong and didn't judge the moment when Mo passed the ball right."
The PGMOL has been forced to make several similar statements in the past 12 months after refereeing blunders.
In August, Wolverhampton Wanderers were denied a potential penalty and a chance to equalise against Manchester United after the VAR failed to instruct the on-field referee to check for a foul inside the United box.
On the PGMOL statements, Klopp suggested they didn't help anyone.
"Who does that help? We had that situation in the Man United game. Did Wolves get points for it?," he said in his press conference.
"We won't get points for it. We all thought that when VAR came in it would make things easier.
"The decision was made really quick for that decision. It changed the momentum of the game."
In failing to capitalise on the two-man advantage, Postecoglou said his side were far from their best.
"I am trying to process everything at the moment. We played a top class opponent, but we done it late. Winning it late always adds belief," he told Sky Sports.
"We didn't handle it too well when they went down to 10 men. Liverpool and their game doesn't change, even if they go down to 10 men. We were better in the second half.
"The second red came from us continuously putting them under pressure. We still probably didn't vary our attacks enough. We just didn't vary it enough, but I am being picky. We remain in our infancy.
"I am [happy] but these things can unravel quickly. My role is to keep pushing them. These results allow me to keep pushing.
"I have not given us a target. If I had goals and dreams then I would have surpassed them 15 years ago. My thing is keep improving and see where it takes us."
Ange's Spurs sit in a tie for second with Arsenal on the Premier League table after seven games, with five wins and two draws. They're a point behind table-topping Manchester United, and now go a point clear of Liverpool.
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