Prem refs ‘make up own rules’
ENGLISH referees have been accused of making up their own rules for the Premier League.
Mario van der Ende, a Dutchman who was regarded as one of the game’s best officials during a 15-year career that saw him go to two World Cups, believes the likes of Anthony Taylor and Michael Oliver are exceptional operators – when they’re in the Champions League.
But Van der Ende was astonished to see Oliver allow Everton’s Jordan Pickford to escape without sanction for the horror tackle on Virgil van Dijk that has ended the Liverpool defender’s season.
And he believes it is all down to how English referees apply the laws of the game differently at home and abroad.
Van der Ende said: “When English referees go to the continent they stick to the laws of football.
“But as soon as they go back to their own island they use their own rules.
“When I saw how Anthony Taylor refereed the international match between Italy and Holland, I can only say that he was astonishingly good.
“But they make different decisions in England because of the hype and the pace of those games.
“We used to call what Pickford did ‘a foul with contempt of death’.
“I could not believe Michael Oliver did not sanction it with a red card.
“There was no discussion possible. He should have given a red card and, if he did not do it, VAR should have.”
Van der Ende said he can understand the fury of Liverpool fans over the Pickford challenge.
He added: “In my opinion all Pickford was thinking was, ‘It is me or him’.
“I have no idea why the VAR didn’t step in. There was all the time in the world with Van Dijk on the ground injured. I can fully understand why the players and staff of Liverpool are still angry.”