This weekend, when Liverpool travels to Wolves for Saturday’s early kickoff, Paul Tierney will once again be in charge of the VAR.
It was Tierney’s first managerial position with the Reds following a disagreement with Jurgen Klopp that resulted in the manager receiving a touchline suspension. Tierney was given the reins at Stockley Park for the first home game of the season against Bournemouth.
In the second half of Bournemouth’s visit, Alexis Mac Allister controversially received a red card for a challenge on Ryan Christie; however, his accompanying suspension was later overturned as a result of the club’s appeal.
Tierney and his assistant Constantine Hatzidakis, who elbowed Andy Robertson during April’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal at Anfield, didn’t regard the decision the same way throughout play.
For Liverpool’s subsequent away game against Newcastle, when Virgil van Dijk was also dismissed for his first-half tackle on Alexander Isak, Hatzidakis was assigned to the same position.
Tierney has previously made headlines during a Reds game, with his prior incident getting Klopp into trouble with the FA. The match against Bournemouth was not the first time he had done so.
During the thrilling 4-3 victory over Tottenham in April of last year, the manager questioned “what this man has against us” following a series of debatable calls.
He received a two-game suspension from the sidelines for his post-game remarks, for which he later apologized, and was forced to witness the last home game of 2022–23 against Aston Villa from the Main Stand.
If he is charged again this year, he will serve the second of those games.
On Saturday at noon, Michael Oliver will be the man in the middle as the Reds look to improve on their performance from the 3-0 loss at Molineux last year.
Oliver will receive coaching support from Stuart Burt, Dan Cook, and fourth official Tim Robinson.
Fans will be hoping the game goes off without a hitch in terms of refereeing and Tierney’s VAR assistant will be Mark Scholes.
The Reds had 10 points after their first four games going into the international break, and they’ll be looking to make it four this weekend.
