Virgil van Dijk has called for greater transparency surrounding the use of VAR in the Premier League.
The Liverpool defender was at the centre of a controversial decision during the 1-1 draw against Aston Villa on Saturday, being deemed offside in the lead-up to what would’ve been an equaliser for Cody Gakpo early in the second half.
While the Dutch centre-back was in an offside position, the ball clearly hit Ezri Konsa before arriving to him, and the Villa player stuck out his leg to try and avert the danger.
The Premier League confirmed in a subsequent statement that, having reviewed the incident at the pitchside VAR monitor, referee John Brooks concluded that the ball deflected off the Villans’ number four rather than being a deliberate play.
Van Dijk was understandably baffled by the decision to disallow the goal and has voiced a desire for referees to publicly explain how they arrive at such pivotal calls.
As per The Mirror, the Liverpool defender said: “I didn’t understand what was going on at all. I asked Michael Oliver (fourth official) on the side of the pitch, and apparently it was a question if the Villa player deliberately knocked it back or something, but I have no idea, yes or no.
“I think it would be good if next season we can hear what they discuss, everyone around it, and be transparent. For them to explain with you guys (the media), coming here (in the interview area); that’s what happened in Holland, why not over here in the Premier League?”
Van Dijk has absolutely nailed it with his pleas for officials to give public explanations as to how major VAR decisions are made.
If supporters got to hear the process behind big calls, such as the one to rule out Gakpo’s goal yesterday, they mightn’t necessarily agree with the decision but may at least have a clearer understanding over what the referees are thinking in those moments.
As it is, officials in the Premier League aren’t publicly accountable for big decisions, unlike managers who are obliged to fulfil media obligations irrespective of their team’s plight.
We’d certainly like to hear how Brooks could view Konsa not to have deliberately played the ball in the lead-up to the disallowed Liverpool goal on Saturday, as it seemed rather clear that the Villa defender was going for it.
We can only hope and pray that the standard of officiating in England’s top flight might improve in 2023/24, but we’re certainly not holding our breath in that regard.