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Chris Kavanagh has moved to clarify the confusion that marred a fractious Merseyside derby between Everton and Liverpool, after a breakdown in VAR communication overshadowed the early stages of Sunday’s contest.
The 40-year-old official found himself under intense scrutiny following two contentious moments that left Everton incensed and reignited debate around the reliability of the system. Chief among them was an incident involving Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who appeared to be bundled over inside the penalty area by Curtis Jones. Replays indicated a clear nudge from the wrong side, yet play was waved on and, crucially, no meaningful VAR intervention followed.
In a statement released via Professional Game Match Officials Limited on Monday morning, Kavanagh pointed to a technical fault at a critical moment. “Due to an unforeseen interruption in the comms link shortly after kick-off, the standard protocol for immediate VAR intervention on the Dewsbury-Hall challenge was not followed,” he wrote. “This was regrettable and not reflective of the high standards we set.” The disruption, he explained, prevented those at Stockley Park from carrying out a timely and thorough review.
That explanation sits in contrast to a later decision involving a disallowed Liverpool goal, which Kavanagh insisted was “crystal clear” and correctly judged offside without the need for prolonged checks. It was, in his view, an example of VAR functioning as intended.
The admission has only fuelled the wider argument. Everton manager David Moyes, visibly angered on the touchline at the time, welcomed the honesty but called for “full accountability” from officials. Liverpool have remained silent.
With officiating standards already under the microscope, Kavanagh’s rare public explanation has sharpened calls for more robust systems and greater transparency. Even with technology in place, the episode underlined how fragile the process can be when communication falters at decisive moments.
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