Paul Merson ripped apart former referee Mike Dean on live TV as guests clashed over Tottenham-Liverpool VAR controversy.
- Merson wanted the game to be stopped
- Dean insisted that the law cannot be changed midgame
- VAR controversy refuses to subside
WHAT HAPPENED? The controversy regarding Luis Diaz’s mistakenly cancelled goal by VAR against Tottenham continues to be a topic of hot debate in the TV studios. The PGMOL admitted that the goal should have stood and it had been erroneously chalked off as a result of “a significant human error”.
While Jurgen Klopp suggested midweek that there should be a replay, there have been opinions from various quarters that the game should have been stopped to award the goal to Liverpool. And Arsenal legend Paul Merson is one of them.
However, Dean was in no mood to entertain that proposal and took a dig at former players by claiming that most of them don’t know the rules.
“The way forward, do you get ex players in? For me no because I just don’t think, if you go get players in, half of them don’t know the laws of the game full stop as you can tell by what you (Merson) said about restarting games for the sake of it,” he said during the Soccer Saturday debate on Sky Sports.
"What's the point in having it then if it's the wrong decision?"
The Soccer Saturday panel debate VAR protocol 💬 pic.twitter.com/b7mZsOm7Ah
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 7, 2023
Merson was furious to hear that and he retorted: “For the sake of it? For the sake of it? What do you mean for the sake of it? You’re playing Liverpool against Tottenham, one of the biggest games and you’re saying for the sake of it.
“There’s no law. No one is going to die so stop the game. You’re all scared. You’re all like ‘Oh my god I’m going to get in trouble’. Stop the game. Stop the game and then look at the circumstances.
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“Seriously, it’s typical you have not played the game. Because you know the rules, it’s different.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Presenter Simon Thomas had to step in and ask Merson to calm down. However, the striker continued: “It’s typical you’ve not played the game. Because you know the rules, it’s different.”
Meanwhile, Dean continued to insist: “It’s the law, mate, it’s the law. You can’t change the law, simple as. If you want to blow up like a bottle of pop, that’s fine.”
Paul Merson and Mike Dean clash over 'the laws of the game' 😬 pic.twitter.com/lil10ERvne
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 7, 2023
WHAT NEXT? While the controversy continues to divide opinions, Klopp insisted that Liverpool have got over the incident and claimed that his suggestion for a replay was misinterpreted. Whereas, Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou dismissed any chance of a replay and suggested that the talk should get back to football.
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