Source: REUTERS/Phil Noble
[Saba Sports News] According to British media reports, the EFL will continue to experiment with referees explaining VAR decisions live during the EFL Cup final next month. Liverpool and Newcastle have been informed by the EFL that this experiment will continue at Wembley Stadium, following a first trial during the EFL Cup semi-finals. In the semi-finals, referees assessed VAR replays on monitors beside the pitch and explained the final decision through the stadium’s public address system. However, Liverpool manager Arne Slot believes this is unnecessary, as he fears that if fans are unhappy with the decisions, referees may receive more abuse, which in turn would put greater pressure on them in future matches. In the first leg where Liverpool lost to Spurs, referee Stuart Attwell announced the disallowed offside goal by Dominic Solanke to the audience, but did not do so when Lucas Bergvall avoided a second yellow card. The EFL claims its goal is to provide “clearer and more understandable” decisions for fans watching in the stadium and at home. This trial is part of PGMOL’s broader commitment to transparency and embracing technological advancements.