Paul Tierney DROPPED after drop ball controversy that sparked angry scenes but ref could still impact weekend’s football
PAUL TIERNEY has been dropped from refereeing the next round of Premier League fixtures after controversially assisting Liverpool to snatch a late winner at Nottingham Forest.
The referee drew criticism after giving the Reds possession with a drop ball in the build up to Darwin Nunez’s last-gasp winner.
Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate had gone down with a head injury following a Forest corner after appearing to clash with his own goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher.
And despite Forest having possession with Callum Hudson-Odoi when the match was paused, Tierney dropped the ball back to Kelleher.
Within seconds the ball was back up the other end of the pitch and in the Forest net – cue uproar around the City Ground.
Tierney has been punished by the Premier League for his error by not being allowed to referee a match this weekend.
However he will still be on duty as the VAR for Arsenal’s clash with Brentford on Saturday.
Some Gooners are not best pleased with that news with one reacting saying: “Why do they like giving us Paul tierney?
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Another added: “No way man. Always there to ruin us.”
A third wrote: “Of course he’ll be VAR to completely destroy us after granting Liverpool favours.”
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And another commented: “Slap on the wrist.”
There is no suggestion Tierney would deliberately influence the result at Arsenal.
The Prem will make history this weekend with Sunny Singh Gill set to become the first British South Asian to referee a game.
Gill has been appointed to oversee Crystal Palace vs Luton on Saturday – 19 years after his father Jarnail Singh became the first EFL ref to wear a turban when he took charge of Bristol Rovers v Bury in August 2004.