The referees in the weekend’s Tottenham vs. Liverpool game continue to make headlines for all the wrong reasons, with a Premier League Panel indicating that they again made the incorrect call when sending off Diogo Jota for the Reds.
Given that Curtis Jones had already been red carded, Jota’s dismissal for two yellow cards put Jurgen Klopp’s team at a huge disadvantage for the remainder of the encounter.
The Panel’s evaluations, according to ESPN, show that the second tackle on Spurs star Destiny Udogie was not deserving of a yellow card.
Though it had no influence on the outcome, it is yet another setback for Howard Webb and the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL).
It has perhaps been the worst week in a long, long time for a refereeing body that has frequently been criticised, particularly in the VAR era, for being unfit for duty.
Mike Riley was the former PGMOL chief, and most of the ineptitude stems from his tenure in command.
To his credit, Webb looks more prepared to interact with clubs and stakeholders when mistakes are made, as evidenced by the release of recordings and a recent interview on Sky Sports.
However, discussion is cheap in the end. PGMOL must improve.