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• Liverpool criticise the PGMOL and will explore their options after Spurs error

  Liverpool have criticised the Professional Game Match Officials Limited and warned they will “explore the range of options available” following the VAR controversy at Tottenham.

  The PGMOL admitted VAR officials Darren England and Dan Cook failed to act after Luis Diaz’s 34th-minute strike at Tottenham was wrongly ruled out for offside. Still images of the incident showed Cristian Romero playing Diaz onside.

  The disallowed goal came with the match still goalless but after Curtis Jones had been controversially sent off following England’s intervention. Liverpool went on to lose 2-1.

  The officials were stood down from duty for the rest of the weekend but Liverpool will continue to pursue the matter.

  A statement read: “Liverpool Football Club acknowledges PGMOL’s admission of their failures last night. It is clear that the correct application of the laws of the game did not occur, resulting in sporting integrity being undermined.

  “We fully accept the pressures that match officials work under but these pressures are supposed to be alleviated, not exacerbated, by the existence and implementation of VAR.

  “It is therefore unsatisfactory that sufficient time was not afforded to allow the correct decision to be made and that there was no subsequent intervention.

  “That such failings have already been categorised as ‘significant human error’ is also unacceptable. Any and all outcomes should be established only by the review and with full transparency.

  “This is vital for the reliability of future decision making as it applies to all clubs with learnings being used to make improvements to processes in order to ensure this kind of situation cannot occur again.

  “In the meantime, we will explore the range of options available, given the clear need for escalation and resolution.”

  England was due to be fourth official at Sunday’s Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Brentford, while Cook was to be assistant referee for Monday’s west London derby between Fulham and Chelsea.

  But the PGMOL announced on Sunday morning that England, the main VAR official at Tottenham, had been replaced by Craig Pawson, while Eddie Smart will step in for Cook, who was the assistant VAR to England.

  “Darren England, VAR on the Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool fixture, and Dan Cook, AVAR on the same game, have been replaced for the Nottingham Forest v Brentford and Fulham v Chelsea matches today and tomorrow night respectively,” a PGMOL statement said.

  “Craig Pawson will now assume England’s duties as fourth official at the City Ground while Eddie Smart will take over from Cook as assistant referee at Craven Cottage.”

  Son Heung-min put Spurs in front moments after Diaz’s goal was disallowed, and although Cody Gakpo levelled, Tottenham won 2-1 thanks to a stoppage-time own goal from Joel Matip, with Liverpool finishing the game with nine men after Diogo Jota also saw red.

  In a statement on Saturday, PGMOL said: “PGMOL acknowledge a significant human error occurred during the first half of Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool.

  “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.

  “PGMOL will conduct a full review into the circumstances which led to the error.”

• Juventus and Atalanta share points from Serie A stalemate in Bergamo

  Juventus and Atalanta were forced to share the points after grinding out a goalless draw in Serie A on Sunday.

  After an even start to the match in Bergamo both teams came close later in the first half, with Davide Zappacosta trying his luck before Nicolo Fagioli and Moise Kean tested Juan Musso in the Atalanta goal.

  However, the hosts had the pick of the chances in the second half when Wojciech Szczesny got his fingertips to Luis Muriel’s free-kick before Teun Koopmeiners had two good shots in the closing stages.

  The stalemate sees Massimiliano Allegri’s men sit four points behind league leaders Inter Milan in the table, while Atalanta remain a point behind Juve.

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  Both sides opened the game well but Atalanta had the first clear-cut chance in the 14th minute when a great ball from Oscar Ruggeri on the left found Zappacosta in the box and the full-back’s effort whistled wide of a post.

  A slow first half saw both sides have equal possession of the ball and Federico Chiesa was trying to create chances for Juve.

  The visitors then had a chance on the half-hour mark as a corner ball fell to Fagioli on the edge of the box, but Musso managed to push it away.

  Kean then tested Musso from distance, with the goalkeeper making a comfortable save to his right.

  Atalanta put pressure on the visitors early in the second-half as Ederson hit a teasing cross into the box but Zappacosta was unable to meet the ball and Juve were straight up the other end of the pitch as Chiesa had a powerful effort palmed away by Musso.

  The hosts were making good runs around the box but Juventus were able to counter the danger and they threatened again in the 69th minute from a corner.

  Sead Kolasinac’s flicked header was turned away by Manuel Locatelli at the back post before Ederson’s resulting overhead kick flew wide.

  Atalanta had an excellent opportunity in the 73rd minute when Muriel’s free-kick was curling towards the top corner, but Szczesny made a fantastic save, just getting his fingertips to the ball, and it deflected off the bar before being cleared away.

  They threatened again from a corner as Berat Djimsiti headed over the bar before Ederson’s low strike was blocked by the Juve defence.

  Atalanta nearly found the winner in the 88th minute when Muriel’s thumping shot was spilled by Szczesny into the path of Koopmeiners, but the Dutchman was unable to finish from the rebound.

  Koopmeiners had another opportunity to snatch three points for the hosts after finding space in the box but his shot blazed over the bar and Juventus defended well to hold on for a point.

• Referees have to help themselves – Forest’s Steve Cooper frustrated by decisions

  Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper felt it was another bad day for the Professional Game Match Officials Limited after some controversial decisions in his side’s 1-1 draw with Brentford.

  The PGMOL were forced to stand intended fourth official Darren England down at the City Ground after his mistake on Saturday night when, as VAR in Tottenham’s game against Liverpool, he failed to act properly in overturning the decision to rule out Luis Diaz’s goal for offside.

  And both managers were left complaining after the draw as Nicolas Dominguez’s header cancelled out Christian Norgaard’s opener, which came immediately after Moussa Niakhate was sent off.

  That is the decision that irked Cooper the most, the boss insisting that his defender’s tackle, where he raked his studs down Yoane Wissa’s calf, was accidental.

  Cooper said: “Honestly, if he doesn’t give him a second yellow, nobody mentions it. All of your colleagues on TV and radio have said the same.

  “With it being the only Premier League game of the day, the PGMOL needed a real clean day and unfortunately they have got the opposite. We want to help referees, we will moan and complain as much as anyone else, it is just the nature of it.

  “We’ll try and do it respectfully, but sometimes it’s hard. They have got to help themselves. I’m annoyed with the first yellow, he shouldn’t have lunged in. The second yellow would not even have been mentioned…of course it was accidental.

  “You need football understanding to see that. It’s a contact game.

  “Some have gone for us, so I’m not sitting here saying we’re hard done by. We all want refereeing to be at the right level and we all want to help them and they have to help themselves. The last thing they needed today was talking points about decision-making, but that’s what they’ve got.

  “Come on, let’s work together and we will help. Some things have gone in our favour, not as much as have gone against us. This league is amazing and every part of it needs to be at that level.”

  Brentford boss Thomas Frank says he is “tired” of talking about VAR after he thought his side were denied a clear penalty.

  Frank believes Wissa was fouled by Matt Turner early in the second half when he closed down the Forest goalkeeper and was caught by Turner’s follow through, while Brentford also had two penalty appeals turned down.

  Referee Paul Tierney did not give anything and the incident was not even checked by VAR Michael Oliver.

  “I am tired of talking about it, I understand you guys need to ask the question,” he said.

  “I just want to talk about performances.

  “I think the two handball situations, some managers would claim them as penalty, I won’t. I think I would really hate that if they were given against my team.

  “But the Wissa one is a clear penalty, you can’t go through the man, that is an unfortunate mistake from VAR, especially when that is clear and obvious.

  “Unfortunately our players are too honest, we need to be a little bit more nasty, I would never say that to the players, I like honest players.”