PGMOL Chief Acknowledges VAR Error Disallowing Fulham Goal vs Chelsea

Howard Webb, chief refereeing officer at Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), admitted that disallowing Josh King's goal for Fulham against Chelsea was a clear misjudgement by the officials and a failure to follow established VAR guidelines. The goal was initially awarded but overturned after VAR official Michael Salisbury judged that Fulham’s Rodrigo Muniz fouled Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah, a decision Webb said ignored the context and high threshold for penalising contact set to preserve the flow and rhythm of the game. Salisbury was subsequently stood down from his VAR duties for the following Premier League match due to this error. The incident sparked widespread criticism from players, pundits, and managers, with Fulham’s manager Marco Silva calling the decision "unbelievable" and players questioning the consistency of officiating standards. Webb acknowledged the significant impact of the mistake but maintained that Premier League VAR technology has overall been successful. The controversy highlights ongoing scrutiny over VAR's role and decision-making in English football.