PGMOL Removes VAR Official After Fulham Goal Error Ahead Liverpool, Arsenal Match

Michael Salisbury has been removed from his role as VAR for the Liverpool vs Arsenal Premier League match following a controversial decision during Chelsea's 2-0 win over Fulham. Salisbury advised the referee to disallow Josh King's goal for Fulham due to a perceived foul by Rodrigo Muniz on Trevoh Chalobah in the buildup, a call later admitted by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) to be an error. PGMOL chief Howard Webb stated the decision did not meet the high threshold for VAR intervention, which should only be used for clear and obvious errors, and apologized to Fulham. As a result, John Brooks has been appointed to replace Salisbury for the Anfield fixture. Fulham manager Marco Silva criticized the VAR decisions as unfair, while others like Enzo Maresca defended the calls. The incident has sparked broader debate over the use and consistency of VAR in English football.