The head of Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), Howard Webb, has publicly admitted that a serious error was made during Fulham’s 2–0 defeat to Chelsea last weekend.
The controversy came when Josh King’s early strike was disallowed after a VAR review. Referee Rob Jones, guided by VAR official Michael Salisbury, ruled that Rodrigo Muniz had committed a foul on Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah in the build-up. The decision stopped Fulham from taking the lead in the London derby, which eventually swung in Chelsea’s favor.
Speaking on Match Officials Mic’d Up, Webb did not mince words about the incident:
“It wasn’t controversial, it was wrong. We’ve established clear principles for officiating in the Premier League and how VAR should be used. Unfortunately, this decision went against those principles.”
As a result of the mistake, Michael Salisbury was removed from his scheduled VAR duties in the high-profile clash between Liverpool and Arsenal the following day.
The incident has once again placed VAR under heavy scrutiny, raising fresh debates about consistency and accountability in Premier League officiating. For Fulham fans, it was a bitter reminder of how costly refereeing mistakes can be in crucial matches.
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