LONDON (AP) — The official who was scheduled to be the VAR for the Liverpool-Arsenal match in the Premier League on Sunday has been replaced hours before kickoff, reportedly because of a mistake he made in the same role during the fixture between Chelsea and Fulham on Saturday.
Michael Salisbury was removed from the list of officials for the match at Anfield, with John Brooks taking his place.
Salisbury was the VAR who intervened to ask match referee Rob Jones to go to the pitchside monitor after Fulham midfielder Josh King scored what appeared to be the opening goal 21 minutes into the game against Chelsea. The goal was chalked off because Fulham striker Rodrigo Muniz was deemed to have stepped on Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah during the buildup to the goal, despite minimal contact.
British media have reported that English soccer's referees' body — Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) — has acknowledged that the decision was an error and the incident did not meet the high bar for intervention as a clear and obvious error.
Fulham went on to lose the game 2-0, with manager Marco Silva describing the decision to rule out the goal as “unbelievable."
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Referee Robert Jones checks the VAR screen during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Fulham at Stamford Bridge stadium in London, Saturday, Aug 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)
Fulham's Josh King, second left, scores a disallowed goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Fulham at Stamford Bridge stadium in London, Saturday, Aug 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)
PHOENIX (AP) — Ozzie Albies and Matt Olson opened the ninth inning with back-to-back home runs, sending the Atlanta Braves to a 2-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night.
Grant Holmes held the Diamondbacks to one hit through six innings, matching zeros with Arizona starter Eduardo Rodríguez.
Albies and Olson connected off reliever Paul Sewald (0-1), helping the Braves improve to 6-2 while the Diamondbacks dropped to 3-5.
Robert Suarez (1-0) pitched a perfect eighth inning and Raisel Iglesias worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save this season.
Albies, who had three of Atlanta's six hits, drove an 0-1 pitch from Sewald over the right-field fence for his second homer of the year.
Olson sent Sewald’s next delivery to left for his second home run as well.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
Atlanta Braves pitcher Grant Holmes (66) pitches during a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rebecca Noble)
Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Paul Sewald (38) is relieved from pitching after allowing two home runs during a baseball game against the Atlanta Braces, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rebecca Noble)
Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley (27) celebrates a home run by Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson (28) during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rebecca Noble)
Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson (28) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rebecca Noble)
Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies (1) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rebecca Noble)
