‘There’s something seriously wrong’ fumes ex-Premier League referee after baffling decisions at Liverpool and Wolves
MARK HALSEY claims there is “something seriously wrong” with officiating in the Premier League after Southampton saw a goal controversially disallowed.
The 63-year-old was a top-flight referee from 1999 to 2013.
Every week, Halsey joins SunSport to look back at the weekend’s most contentious refereeing decision, with Southampton’s 2-0 loss to Wolves taking centre stage.
In the early season relegation six-pointer, the Saints thought they had made it 1-1 in the first-half when Ryan Manning fired in.
But the goal was controversially chalked off by VAR for a foul in the build-up by Mateus Fernandes on Nelson Semedo.
Halsey told SunSport: “It’s a clear and obvious error by VAR to get involved. That’s for sure. For me, it’s not even a foul.
“Russell Martin’s got every right to be aggrieved with that incident.
“Why is VAR getting involved in that incident?
“I keep saying it, something is seriously wrong with the training and education with the PGMOL officials. We have it week in, week out.
“They need to come out and explain it don’t they.
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“I’m sure that will get missed off or mic’d up with Howard Webb. I bet that gets brushed aside, that incident.”
Halsey also felt there was inconsistency from Stockley Park man Chris Kavanagh for not recommending a review on Wolves‘ second goal.
Matheus Cunha scored brilliantly from outside the box after two Saints players went down claiming fouls in the build-up.
Halsey took issue with Kavanagh’s contradiction of himself, saying: “Well, again, we talk about inconsistency with VAR.
“In that phase of play that leads up to the goal, VAR can look at that and recommend a review because clearly there are two fouls leading up to the goal.
“So if VAR get involved in disallowing Southampton’s goal for a foul, then surely, they have to get involved in this and recommend a review.
“It’s absolutely nonsense disallowing the first goal, recommending the review and then not recommending a review with that.
“Then obviously the referee, Thomas Bramall, has got to be strong enough when they go over to that screen and say, ‘no, there’s no foul there’.”
Halsey was also unhappy with the refereeing performance by David Coote, who took charge of Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Aston Villa, labelling him “bang average”.
Darwin Nunez opened the scoring as Mo Salah grabbed the assist after a brilliant charge forward on the counter-attack.
The Egyptian was floored by a desperate Leon Bailey as he approached the goal, but luckily for Liverpool, his team-mate was on hand to score instead.
But Halsey was left baffled by how the ref did not spot the Villa star pulling Salah to the deck, with an advantage not played.
He also found it bizarre that the visitors were not given a spot-kick for a clearest shirt pull on Pau Torres by Conor Bradley.
And the ex-Prem ref is unhappy with the wording of the laws, explaining: “I get fed up with listening to this ‘sustained holding or fleeting holding’. It’s nonsense.”