Mike Dean insists Manchester United second goal against Liverpool was onside due to change in rule.
Premier League referee Mike Dean has stated that Manchester United second goal against Liverpool stood because of the change in VAR rule.
Marcus Rashford who scored the second goal for United in the 2-1 victory at Old Trafford appeared to be in a tight offside position.
Two years ago, Rashford’s goal would have been disallowed – one of those ‘toenail’ offsides that was highlighted when VAR first arrived in England.
However, the Premier League and PGMOL made changes to the rule for the good of the game – in agreement with the clubs and in line with UEFA competitions and domestic leagues across Europe.
While most of Old Trafford was celebrating United taking a 2-0 lead, VAR Darren England and his team at Stockley Park were taking a closer look at the moment Rashford broke behind Liverpool’s back line.
Then the lines are laid. First a one-pixel line to the second last defender, then another one-pixel line to the attacker, at the point closest to goal with which he can score.
Once the lines are locked in, the system will then flash up green for onside or red for offside. It’s not subjective. It’s factual.
But last summer, changes were made so that if the lines are overlapping, it’s onside.
It’s too close to call otherwise and so the advantage is given to the attacker, as it was with Rashford at Old Trafford on Monday evening.
Jesus’s goal against Bournemouth was disallowed because there was no overlap of the lines.
It was the same for Crystal Palace’s Odsonne Edouard before Jeffrey Schlupp put the ball in the net against Aston Villa and also for Brentford’s Ivan Toney against Fulham.
Overall, the Premier League has benefitted from this approach as it means there are more goals in games.
That system – powered by artificial intelligence – will provide officials with a 3D image, calculating the players’ exact positions on the pitch and telling us if an attacker is onside or offside.
