Match referee Craig Pawson uses the Video Assistant Referee to give a penalty to Liverpool during the English FA Cup, fourth round soccer match between Liverpool and West Bromwich Albion, at the Anfield stadium, Liverpool, England, Saturday Jan. 27, 2018. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)
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LIVERPOOL, England (AP) - The Video Assistant Referee took center-stage during the first half of Liverpool's FA Cup match with West Bromwich Albion on Saturday as it was used three times, including the first on-field review in English football.
"We struggled at the end because we were running out of bodies, and the VAR system was a problem because we lost a player to a hamstring because we were hanging around and waited so long for a decision," West Brom coach Alan Pardew said.
"That's something else we have to worry about, and look at next time we play with that system. Is it going to take away goals and we start getting 0-0 and 1-1 draws? I don't know, it was just weird. We waited so long for the decisions, the stadium was flat and every goal was becoming a sort of mockery with the delayed decision."
The Baggies thought they went 3-1 up at Anfield when Craig Dawson headed past Simon Mignolet from a corner in the 19th minute, but after referee Craig Pawson consulted with VAR Andre Marriner - a process that took just over a minute - the effort was disallowed, due to Gareth Barry having been offside.
Soon after, Liverpool appealed for a penalty after Mohamed Salah went down in the box in the 23rd. This instance saw Pawson watch footage on the pitchside screen before it was deemed Salah had been fouled by Jake Livermore. That was met by West Brom protests, during which Barry was booked, and it was the 27th minute by the time the spot kick was taken by Roberto Firmino, who struck it against the bar.
Pawson was then speaking into his headset once more after the ball went in the Liverpool net again in first-half stoppage time, Dawson's shot going in off Joel Matip.
Matip's own-goal was confirmed, to make it 3-1, following a delay of almost two minutes, with the question having been over whether there had been an offside.
The match finished 3-2.
Match referee Craig Pawson, centre, disallows a third goal by West Bromwich Albion's Craig Dawson after a discussion with the Video Assistant Referee during the English FA Cup, fourth round soccer match between Liverpool and West Bromwich Albion, at the Anfield stadium, Liverpool, England, Saturday Jan. 27, 2018. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)
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Liverpool's Joel Matip, centre, appears dejected after scoring an own-goal for West Bromwich Albion's third goal during the English FA Cup, fourth round soccer match between Liverpool and West Bromwich Albion, at the Anfield stadium, Liverpool, England, Saturday Jan. 27, 2018. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)
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Match referee Craig Pawson, left, speaks with Liverpool's Emre Can during the English FA Cup, fourth round soccer match between Liverpool and West Bromwich Albion, at the Anfield stadium, Liverpool, England, Saturday Jan. 27, 2018. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)
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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp holds his head during the English FA Cup, fourth round soccer match between Liverpool and West Bromwich Albion, at the Anfield stadium, Liverpool, England, Saturday Jan. 27, 2018. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)
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West Bromwich Albion manager Alan Pardew celebrates after the final whistle of the English FA Cup, fourth round soccer match between Liverpool and West Bromwich Albion, at the Anfield stadium, Liverpool, England, Saturday Jan. 27, 2018.West Bromwich Albion defeated Liverpool 3-2. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)
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West Bromwich Albion's Jay Rodriguez celebrates after the final whistle of the English FA Cup, fourth round soccer match between Liverpool and West Bromwich Albion, at the Anfield stadium, Liverpool, England, Saturday Jan. 27, 2018. West Bromwich Albion defeated Liverpool 3-2. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)
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