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In a dramatic turn of events, the Premier League's Independent Key Match Incidents Panel has overturned the contentious red card shown to Diogo Jota during Liverpool's recent encounter with Tottenham. The Portuguese forward had been sent off for two quick bookings, with the second foul on Destiny Udogie raising eyebrows.
According to reports from ESPN, the panel, consisting of five members including former players, coaches, and representatives from the Premier League and PGMOL, voted 3-2 against the second yellow card for Jota. They believed that the challenge did not meet the threshold for a yellow card, thus admitting the decision was incorrect.
This decision, however, only pertains to the second booking for players sent off due to two bookable offenses. Jota's first booking had already drawn scrutiny, as Udogie's trailing leg had made contact with his knee.
Liverpool's woes compounded as Curtis Jones was also shown a red card following a VAR review for a tackle on Yves Bissouma. The initial yellow card was upgraded to red after a pitchside monitor review by referee Simon Hooper. Despite Liverpool's appeal, Jones will serve a three-match ban.
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The Premier League panel's acknowledgment of the erroneous red card for Jota is unlikely to quell Jurgen Klopp's frustration. The Liverpool manager was left incensed by the red cards and the incorrect disallowance of Luis Diaz's goal.
In a bold move, Klopp has demanded a replay of the Liverpool vs. Spurs match, asserting that it would be the “right thing” to do in light of the VAR error. Diaz's goal had been disallowed despite being onside, with the match resuming with a free-kick to Spurs. Referees' chiefs later admitted to a “significant human error,” releasing the audio of the conversation between officials, which included moments of exasperation.
Klopp emphasized the need to handle the situation properly and expressed his belief that a replay should be the only outcome, even though he acknowledged that it might not happen. The Liverpool manager's demand for a recurrence underscores the unprecedented nature of the situation, leaving the Premier League in a complex and contentious position.
