Referees in the Premier League are preparing to begin making in-stadium announcements regarding the outcomes of video reviews starting next season, although Liverpool’s manager, Arne Slot, is not in favor of this change.
Currently, this protocol is being tested during the English League Cup semifinals, and the first announcement occurred during the first leg of the match between Tottenham and Liverpool, where a goal scored by Spurs was disallowed due to offside.
Tony Scholes, the Premier League’s chief football officer, mentioned to the press that this announcement system could also be adopted in league matches moving forward. When asked about his thoughts on the new protocol, Slot expressed skepticism, stating, “for me, that’s not necessary.” He did, however, recognize that it might enhance the experience for fans present at the games. “If the fans like it and it’s something nice for them, let’s do this,” he noted before the upcoming second leg against Tottenham, where Liverpool faces a 1-0 deficit.
During the first leg, referee Stuart Attwell used a public address system and a wireless microphone to inform the crowd that the goal by Tottenham’s Dominic Solanke, scored in the 76th minute, had been canceled out following a two-minute VAR review. However, Tottenham’s manager, Ange Postecoglou, was not impressed by the announcement, indicating that it added little value to the match and suggested that officials should simply proceed with the game.
Slot expressed his concerns over the choice of announcement, questioning why officials felt it necessary to explain what he considered an “obvious” decision while neglecting to address a more debatable incident where Tottenham’s Lucas Bergvall avoided a second yellow card for a foul on Kostas Tsimikas. This occurred while Tsimikas was off the field receiving treatment, and during that time, Bergvall scored the only goal in the match.
The implementation of semi-automated offside technology may arrive in the Premier League even sooner than anticipated, possibly before the end of the current season. Initially scheduled for introduction following one of the international breaks earlier this season, deployment was postponed due to testing issues. Scholes reported that significant progress has been made in recent weeks.
He stated, “We believe it to be the most accurate and the most future-proof system.” Despite his initial doubts stemming from earlier technical challenges, he acknowledged the substantial advancements made in the past several weeks.
Scholes affirmed that launching this technology with only a small number of matches remaining would not compromise the integrity of the league. Officials hope that it will help minimize the average time spent on offside reviews by around 31 seconds, further streamlining the game.
