Liverpool news: Howard Webb cited after game-changing development – ‘it’s not good for the game’, says ex-Fifa official
Szymon Marciniak’s performance in the World Cup final has exposed the referees who officiate Liverpool and the rest of the Premier League, according to Keith Hackett.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee hailed Marciniak’s “superb” display in Argentina’s penalty shootout win over France on Sunday (18 December).
The Polish official, 41, awarded three penalty kicks during the game but drew praise from all around the globe for how he managed the game and occasion.
The Times reported last week (16 December) that English referee Anthony Taylor was blocked from officiating the game as the Argentina squad had been filmed singing chants about the Falklands War.
“I generally think that referee had a superb performance,” Hackett told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“There were a lot of positive things, his movement and his positioning, especially. On that first penalty kick, he couldn’t have been better positioned. He’s got a side-on view and was really positive by pointing to the penalty mark.
“He didn’t require hesitation and VAR to give the penalty kick, as we’ve seen in the Premier League with Craig Pawson in particular.
“It was how VAR should operate. The referee referees the game and VAR only comes in when it’s a clear and obvious error.
“I think the team of officials, with the two assistants, can be very happy.
“The referee was a footballer and I think that helped. The management of some of the challenges wasn’t confrontational and as a result of that, we got a high tempo in the game and the players respected him.
“I think what it shows is the limitations in the quality of referees in the Premier League. That’s why we’ve got the change with Howard Webb coming in.
“It’s not just Premier League level, it’s in the Championship too and it’s just not good enough.
“However we look at it, referees are continuing to make serious errors at the top level and that’s not good for the game.
“Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor are consistently our best referees, that’s why they were at the World Cup. That should be the standard that’s the norm in the Premier League.
“When we look at VAR, we didn’t have a representative. The world recognises that our VAR operators are not good enough.”
In other news, Liverpool are in talks to sign a striker Jurgen Klopp has called “sensational”.