The Professional Games Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) and the Premier League have made a commitment to regularly release in-game audio of on-field officials and VAR teams this season.
The Athletic reports that the second instalment of ‘Match Officials: Mic’d Up’ is poised to be aired on Tuesday evening in the United Kingdom and internationally.
The broadcast will reportedly be accessible through various channels, including Sky Sports and TNT Sports.
PGMOL chief Howard Webb will be joining former England striker Michael Owen in the studio to provide explanations for refereeing decisions made in recent matches.
They will utilise previously unreleased audio clips capturing conversations between on-field officials and VAR teams.
Each episode of the program will focus on several incidents from recent matches, offering supporters a unique insight into the decision-making process employed by match officials.
The initiative is a direct response to the fallout from the controversial fixture that saw Liverpool fall to a late defeat to Tottenham Hotspur – a game where VAR made the headlines.
Luis Diaz gave the Reds the lead, but the on-field assistant referee flagged for offside – a decision that proved incorrect upon VAR review.
However, VAR officials Darren England and assistant Dan Cook were found guilty of ‘significant human error’ after failing to notify on-field referee Simon Hooper about the howler.
The incident has emerged as a hot topic of conversations over the past week, leading to the Liverpool manager calling for a replay of the Tottenham clash – a remark that was met with backlash from the footballing world.
Klopp subsequently claimed that the club have moved on from the issue, while Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola called on the Reds to accept the ‘mistake’ from VAR.
Liverpool will be eager to provide an emphatic response to last weekend’s defeat when they travel to the free-scoring Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday.
A victory for the Merseysiders at the Amex Stadium will consolidate their place in the Premier League top four, while the midweek 2-0 Europa League victory also serves as an additional confidence booster to the Reds.
