KLOPP CRITICAL OF VAR AFTER DRAW AT OLD TRAFFORD
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is the latest critic of the VAR system after claiming referees are changing the way they approach the game
The German believes officials are letting play go on even when they think there may have been an infringement as they are expecting to be corrected by the technology.
Klopp was venting his frustration after the 1-1 draw at Manchester United which ended their 17-match winning run in the Premier League after Marcus Rashford's opening goal was allowed to stand despite him claiming Divock Origi was fouled 70 yards up the pitch in the build-up.
"I'm sure Mr (Martin) Atkinson, if there was not VAR involved, would have whistled (for a foul) but he let it go because someone else could make the decision - but someone else is not making the decision," said the Liverpool boss, who had no issue with Sadio Mane's first-half goal being ruled out by VAR for handball before substitute Adam Lallana snatched a late equaliser.
"Like the penalty Man City didn't get (against Crystal Palace on Saturday)... Come on, it was 100 per cent a penalty, nothing else, But VAR was not clear enough to say 'Overrule it'.
"We need to discuss it in general, because how the process works is important. I think it is good, VAR. The only way it really works is handball and offside.
"But the process where the ref makes a decision because they have VAR but then VAR says 'No, that's fine', that doesn't work.
"On the pitch the referee decides to let it run because we have VAR, but it is not overruled because it is not 'obvious'... that makes no sense."
United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was less bothered about VAR - "No chance, we're not playing basketball. He (Victor Lindelof) touched him but it's not a clear and obvious error" - and more interested in an improved performance from his under-pressure side.
"They deserved more than the one point I felt, and it feels worse because it (equaliser) was towards the end of the game," said the Norwegian, whose side are 13th in the table, still only two points off the bottom three.
"We set the team up to attack and be aggressive and create chances, and I thought we did that.
"We were more direct. Dan (James), Marcus, Andreas (Pereira) caused them problems. The energy they had on and off the ball.
"We did well, well enough for them to change their system. That's a pat on the back for the boys, but they put us on the back foot second half.
"We are better when we attack quickly. No dilly-dallying on the ball, play it forward. I talked about it before the game; play the ball forward, take more risks. It doesn't matter if you lose the ball up there, because you can win it back.
"I'm disappointed that I can't sit here and talk about the win, but the performance is very positive.
"One point was the start of something, but we're still disappointed that we didn't get three.
"We're not excited because we got one point off a good team - we need to start winning games."
Published: by Radio NewsHub