Salisbury off VAR duties for Liverpool-Arsenal clash after Fulham controversy
Michael Salisbury, the Video Assistant Referee who was central to Chelsea’s win over Fulham, has been taken off duties for Sunday’s Premier League match between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield. The change follows the controversial disallowed goal for Fulham on Saturday, when Josh King’s strike was ruled out for a foul by Rodrigo Muniz on Trevoh Chalobah earlier in the move.
On-field referee Rob Jones was instructed to review the incident by Salisbury. After the review, Jones announced that Muniz committed a careless challenge by making contact with Chalobah while shielding the ball in the buildup to the goal; the goal was disallowed and play restarted with a Chelsea free kick. No further action was taken.
PGMOL, the body that oversees refereeing in England, acknowledged that an error was made in that passage of play and Salisbury’s involvement. The organization also said chief Howard Webb contacted Fulham regarding the incident on Saturday.
King’s disallowed goal would have been his first for Fulham and came while the score was level in the first half. Chelsea later took the lead through Joao Pedro just before half-time, with Enzo Fernandez converting a second-half penalty to seal a 2-0 win.
For Sunday’s clash, John Brooks will serve as VAR rather than Salisbury.
What this signals
– The ruling marks another instance in which officiating decisions are subject to review and correction, underscoring the ongoing scrutiny of VAR in the Premier League.
– The substitution of Salisbury for Sunday’s game demonstrates the league’s willingness to adjust assignments in response to perceived errors.
– It also highlights the importance of consistency and accountability in officiating as teams prepare for high-profile fixtures.
If you’re writing for readers, you might add:
– A quick explainer panel on how VAR and on-field review interact in these scenarios, for readers unfamiliar with the process.
– A short note on how such decisions can influence team momentum and match outcomes, even if the final score remains unchanged.
– A positive note that the governing body is reviewing and adjusting assignments as part of ongoing improvements to officiating standards.