Official at the Center of VAR Controversy Assigned Liverpool Match for the First Time in a Year

Darren England has been appointed as the fourth official for Liverpool's Premier League match against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, marking a year since he was at the center of VAR controversy during Liverpool's encounter with Tottenham.

In September 2023, England was working as the VAR official on a tumultuous day at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where Simon Hooper served as the on-field referee. Liverpool faced two red cards and conceded a last-minute goal, but the most significant incident involved a disallowed goal. Luis Diaz had his effort ruled offside after beating Guglielmo Vicario. England mistakenly signaled 'check complete,' believing Hooper had allowed the goal instead of disallowing it. By the time the VAR team recognized the mistake, it was too late to correct it.

England returned to VAR duties for the first time in April and has since officiated several top-flight matches. However, Saturday will mark his first involvement in a Liverpool game since that infamous incident.

Anthony Taylor will referee the match at Molineux, returning after a week serving as fourth official. Taylor faced criticism following the Bournemouth vs. Chelsea match, where he issued 14 bookings, prompting an investigation by the Premier League.

Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn will assist Taylor, with England acting as the fourth official. Michael Salisbury will be on VAR duty, supported by Dan Robathan.

This season, England has officiated just two Premier League matches: Chelsea's 6-2 victory over Wolves in August and Leicester's draw with Everton in the most recent round of fixtures. He has also overseen games in the EFL Cup and Champions League qualifiers.

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Liverpool star Luis Diaz was experiencing a challenging spell in front of goal when his effort against Spurs was disallowed. However, he has since regained his form this season, scoring five goals in as many Premier League matches. In October 2023, Diaz reflected on how the Spurs incident affected him and his teammates.

“The goal situation was quite complicated,” he told Colombian outlet El Heraldo. “At the time, it hit me hard, but it affected all my teammates as well. During the match, we discussed it a lot; it was a positive result that could have helped us. These things happen; referees are human. We have to stay calm and focus on the next one.”

If title rivals Manchester City drop points against Newcastle on Saturday lunchtime, Liverpool will have the chance to climb to the top of the league with a win over Wolves. Gary O'Neil’s side is still searching for their first victory of the season, sitting at the bottom of the table with just one point from five matches.