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The Premier League has unanimously voted to introduce semi-automated offside technology decisions next season (2024-25), providing a massive boost to a league that has been dogged by its low quality of officiating in recent years, particularly this season.
During Tuesday’s Champions League match between Arsenal and Bayern Munich, for example, Arsenal winger Bakayo Saka, with virtually the last kick of the game, went tumbling down in the box after a collision with German keeper Manuel Neuer.
Despite the screams of 60,000 people, including the Arsenal players and bench, demanding a penalty, Swedish official Glenn Nyberg held firm and denied Arsenal a penalty. And he was right, as Saka initiated the contact in what was essentially a dive.
And Premier League fans were, to put it lightly, stunned, as they’re simply not used to competent officiating.
“One of the best refereeing decisions I’ve ever seen. Any Premier League referee would’ve bottled that decision and given Arsenal the penalty. These Champions League officials are cool as anything,” said one viral tweet about the moment.
Can’t be understated what an unbelievable decision that is in the 95th minute with 60,000 people screaming at you, there’s not a single PL ref that doesn’t give that and it’s an obvious dive https://t.co/x34VoCWMVs
— James (@_jwynny) April 9, 2024
In the Prem that's a penalty every day of week
But it's the UCL, with some actual standards of refereeing pic.twitter.com/OdrQzbXFjM
— 𝙇𝙞𝙖𝙢🇧🇪 (@OfficialVizeh) April 9, 2024
Get European referees in the Premier League. 60,000 fans screaming at you, coupled with the egos of the golden boys like Rice and Arteta in your face and they still have the bollocks to say no penalty. Every single current Premier League referee folds and gives that. Gutless. https://t.co/78zUNLP331
— LC (@NUFCLC) April 9, 2024
The announcement came on Thursday, April 11, as the Premier League enters the 32nd of its 38 matchweeks for the 2023-24 season.
Premier League clubs have unanimously approved the use of semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) for the 2024-25 season. The English top fight will use the same cameras and software that UEFA uses in the men’s Champions League. [via The Athletic]
Now, while semi-automated offside technology has nothing to do with the above Saka does, it does represent a step in the right direction for the Premier League, which has seen numerous controversies caused by its official this year.
“The Premier League believes the use of SAOT will save around 30 seconds per decision. It hopes its introduction will bring an end to situations where play continues after a possible offside, because the assistant referees have been instructed to keep their flags down, before then being brought back some time later after an attack has ended,” reports The Athletic.
“Instead, the assistant referees will have a voice in their earpiece informing them of the semi-automated offside decision and can raise their flag immediately.”
While the introduction of VAR (video assistant referee) technology during the 2019-20 season was meant to help PL refs make better calls, it’s arguably had the opposite effect as VAR has simply provided them with a second opportunity to be incompetent.
One of the most notable examples of this happened in September during a match between Tottenham and Liverpool, as Liverpool’s Luis Diaz had a perfectly legitimate goal ruled offside due to the lack of attention and miscommunication by VAR and the on-field officials.
That wrongfully disallowed goal could prove to be crucial in the Premier League title race — which would be an absolute night for the league — as Liverpool currently sit joint-top of the table, trailing Arsenal only on goal difference.