LIVERPOOL, Feb 5 — Liverpool manager Arne Slot says he is not a fan of in-stadium VAR announcements as he fears they will increase the pressure on referees.
The initiative is being trialled by the English Football League during the League Cup semi-finals, with the second legs taking place this week.
Referees announce the final decision following a visit to the VAR pitchside monitor or at the “conclusion of factual matters such as accidental handball by a goalscorer or offside judgements”.
Only the final decision is announced to supporters.
The Premier League last year said the supporter experience of video technology was “nowhere near good enough”.
The organisation’s chief football officer Tony Scholes said this week that the league’s “intention” was that referees would announce the outcome of VAR reviews from the start of next season.
But Slot, whose in-form team will seek to overturn a 1-0 deficit from the first leg when they host Tottenham at Anfield on Thursday, voiced doubts about the potential change.
“I wonder if it is a good thing for the referee because he’s already under a lot of pressure in every game from the home fans,” the Liverpool boss said at his pre-match press conference on Wednesday.
“And I think him explaining if it’s against the home team would even add more pressure in the next and the next and the next decision he has to make.
“But they always tell me they are very well trained for this which I am certainly not because if I need to blow my whistle during a training session then I’m always like ‘OK, he’s a bit frustrated, let’s give him the free kick for the next time’, so I would probably not be a good referee.”
Slot said defender Trent Alexander-Arnold was out of Thursday’s match against Spurs and is a doubt for Sunday’s FA Cup fourth-round game at Plymouth.
“He left the pitch with a bit of a pain in his leg (against Bournemouth on Saturday),” said the Dutchman. “That’s why he misses the game tomorrow but he’s already on the pitch, not with the team, but with the rehab coach, so let’s see how long it’s going to take but he will not be available tomorrow.”
Liverpool, six points clear at the top of the Premier League, are still in contention for a quadruple of trophies in Slot’s first season in charge and he is relaxed about the club’s inactivity in the January transfer window.
“Maybe there are not many managers that have such a good squad as I have,” he said. “We have a very good squad and if you look at the league table I think the players have shown that the trust we have in them was correct and we don’t have many injuries, not long-term injuries.”
The winner of the two-legged tie between Liverpool and Tottenham will face either Newcastle or Arsenal in the League Cup final at Wembley in March.
Eddie Howe’s Newcastle are 2-0 up after the first leg ahead of the second leg at St James’ Park on Wednesday. — AFP
