Mike Dean future with VAR in doubt over performances

Premier League official Mike Dean’s future as a VAR official is in doubt, according to the Daily Mail.

Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) chairman Howard Webb is pushing for reforms after recent underwhelming performances by officials.

Dean has not been on VAR duties recently due to making significant errors this season.

He failed to award Wolverhampton Wanderers a penalty when William Saliba fouled Goncalo Guedes in Arsenal’s 2-0 win at Molineux in November.

The Wirral-born official awarded Fulham a controversial penalty at Newcastle in January. In August, he failed to send off Tottenham Hotspur’s Cristian Romero for pulling Marc Cucurella’s hair.

Dean retired as a professional referee at the end of last season but stayed on to be on the VAR technology.

However, the last time the 58-year-old was on duty was during Leicester City’s 4-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur on February 11.

Dean did not make any errors during the league game at the King Power Stadium but has not been on VAR duty since then.

February 11 was a poor day for Premier League officials, with Lee Mason and John Brooks also making significant errors while overseeing VAR. 

Mason did not see that Brentford midfielder Christian Norgaard was offside in the build-up to Ivan Toney’s equaliser against Arsenal that day.

Brooks was in charge of Crystal Palace versus Brighton & Hove Albion. He also made a blunder, incorrectly disallowing a valid goal by Pervis Estupinan.

He drew the offside lines from the wrong defender, placing the line from James Tomkins rather than last man Marc Guehi.

VAR official Neil Swarbrick also failed to tell referee Craig Pawson that Tomas Soucek handled the ball inside the penalty area during a Chelsea versus West Ham United game.

Following the errors, Webb called an emergency meeting and held a workshop with Mason and Brooks. The former left his role by mutual consent six days later. 

PGMOL replaced Brooks as the VAR lead for his following two appointments.