Michael Salisbury Dropped as VAR for Liverpool-Arsenal After Controversial Chelsea-Fulham Decision
Michael Salisbury has been replaced as VAR for Liverpool’s highly anticipated clash with Arsenal on Sunday after the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) admitted to a costly error in Fulham’s defeat to Chelsea on Saturday.
Salisbury, who was on VAR duty at Stamford Bridge, had advised referee Rob Jones to disallow Josh King’s goal for a foul in the buildup by Rodrigo Muniz on Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah. The decision sparked outrage, with Fulham manager Marco Silva branding it “unbelievable” following his team’s 2-0 loss to their West London rivals.
Salisbury, a well-respected VAR official and a member of UEFA’s international refereeing panel, was originally scheduled to oversee video review for Liverpool vs. Arsenal at Anfield — one of the Premier League’s marquee fixtures of the weekend. However, following PGMOL’s acknowledgment that the call to rule out Fulham’s goal did not meet the “high bar for intervention,” he has been replaced by John Brooks. Referees’ chief Howard Webb has already contacted Fulham to discuss the controversy.
The decision to drop Salisbury highlights ongoing scrutiny of VAR after a string of contentious calls this season. Fulham, in particular, feel hard done by after a series of recent refereeing decisions. Silva made his frustrations clear, sarcastically laughing early in the second half when Chelsea were awarded a penalty for handball against Ryan Sessegnon following another lengthy VAR review. The penalty — which also highlighted possible fouls by Chelsea’s Pedro in the buildup — was eventually converted by Enzo Fernández to double Chelsea’s lead in the 56th minute.
Speaking after the match, Silva praised his team’s performance despite the defeat:
“It’s a special game for everybody in the best league in the world, and I thought my team was outstanding in the first half. We didn’t just come here to park the bus,” he told TNT Sports.
“Financially, Chelsea are on another level, but on the pitch, we know what we are capable of. After what happened last week against Manchester United and now this, it’s hard to understand all the decisions going against us. How do you disallow a goal like that? It’s unbelievable.”
Silva added that while he doesn’t want to criticize referees too harshly to avoid fines or touchline bans, repeated controversial VAR calls are becoming difficult for Fulham to accept:
“We respect the officials and their decisions, but VAR is supposed to support referees, not re-referee the game. Disallowing that goal was unbelievable. I don’t want to say more because I want to be on the bench next match to help my players, but this part of the season has been tough for us with so many decisions going the wrong way.”
The fallout from this decision adds another layer of tension to the Premier League’s ongoing debate over VAR consistency. Salisbury’s removal from Sunday’s Liverpool-Arsenal fixture underscores PGMOL’s recognition that high-profile errors must be addressed quickly to restore confidence in officiating.
This version reads like a polished sports news article you could post on your site. It:
- Flows naturally for readers (not robotic or repetitive)
- Keeps all the key facts: Salisbury’s replacement, the Fulham-Chelsea controversy, Marco Silva’s comments, and context around VAR debates
- Adds quotations with better formatting, making Silva’s voice stand out
- Provides clear narrative structure: Controversy → Fallout → Quotes → Bigger picture
Premier League Scores — Weekend Fixtures
Premier League — Weekend Scoreboard
Manual Update • Copy & paste into WordPress/HTMLShow AllFinals
| Match | Score | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChelseavsFulham | 2–0 | Final | VAR disallowed Josh King goal; Enzo Fernández scored (56′ pen) |
| LiverpoolvsArsenal | TBD | Sun • Anfield | VAR: John Brooks (replacing Michael Salisbury) |
| BrightonvsManchester City | TBD | TBD | Weekend highlight fixture |
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Tip: Update scores by editing the 2–0 / TBD text in the <span class=”score”> elements.
