Referee ‘banned’ from officiating Liverpool games for an entire year to make return in Wolves clash on Saturday
A REFEREE who was effectively banned from officiating Liverpool games for an entire year will return for their match at Wolves on Saturday.
Arne Slot’s men have made a flying start to the season, winning four of their five matches and conceding just one goal.
Spirits are high following Jurgen Klopp’s departure.
And Anfield fans are quietly hopeful of putting in a strong title challenge should Liverpool’s form continue.
The league’s second-place team visit basement boys Wolves this weekend.
Gary O’Neil’s men are yet to win a game and have taken just one point while shipping 24 goals.
However, Liverpool are set for an awkward reunion with a referee who hasn’t laid eyes on them in 12 months.
Darren England will take charge of Saturday’s clash at Molineux.
And it will see him officiate a Liverpool match for the first time since last October’s infamous VAR error in the Reds’ 2-1 defeat to Tottenham.
Referee’s body PGMOL admitted there had been a “significant” human error after Luis Diaz had a goal ruled out for offside when he was clearly onside.
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England was on VAR duty and had been tasked with drawing up the lines.
But he accidentally gave a “check complete” to back up the original decision after forgetting what it was.
And by the time England realised his error, the game had already continued — meaning the match could not be brought back for Diaz’s goal to stand.
It took seven months from that game before England was given another VAR role, despite him being back on referee duties just weeks after the incident.
And he will now take part in a Liverpool match for the first time in a year after being named as the fourth official against Wolves.
Anthony Taylor will be the referee for the game.
While Michael Salisbury is in charge of VAR in a move which is sure to put Liverpool fans at ease.
After England’s mistake last year, ref chiefs issued a grovelling apology to the Reds.
A statement said: “PGMOL acknowledge a significant human error occurred during the first half of Tottenham Hotspur Liverpool.
“The goal by Luis Diaz was disallowed for offside by the on-field team of match officials.
“This was a clear and obvious factual error and should have resulted in the goal being awarded through VAR intervention, however, the VAR failed to intervene.
“PGMOL will conduct a full review into the circumstances which led to the error.
“PGMOL will immediately be contacting Liverpool at the conclusion of the fixture to acknowledge the error.”