Liverpool vs Arsenal official axed hours before kick off after controversial decision

An official has been replaced just hours before Liverpool meet Arsenal in a blockbuster Premier League showdown.

Liverpool host Arsenal on Sunday in the game of the weekend.

Both teams have won their opening two league fixtures of the new season ahead of their Anfield meeting.

And just hours before kick-off (4:30pm UK time), Michael Salisbury has been replaced as VAR in the wake of Saturday's controversy at Stamford Bridge.

Salisbury has been replaced by John Brooks as VAR for Liverpool vs. Arsenal.

Professional Game Match Officials Board (PGMOL) have acknowledged Salisbury made an error in disallowing Fulham's goal against Chelsea, according to Ben Jacobs.

Salisbury’s intervention was not in line with the PGMOL’s high bar for VAR intervention.

Match referee Rob Jones ruled out Fulham's goal against Chelsea following a VAR review. Image: Getty

Fulham had a goal controversially ruled out against Chelsea in Saturday's game.

Josh King thought he had opened the scoring until Salisbury, the VAR, instructed match referee Rob Jones to view the pitch-side monitor to assess whether Rodrigo Muniz had fouled Trevoh Chalobah during the build-up.

Jones ruled Muniz had indeed fouled Chalobah even though the Fulham forward was in possession of the ball when he caught the Chelsea defender inadvertently.

PGMOL chief Howard Webb directly contacted Fulham after the VAR incident.

Salisbury was scheduled to be on VAR duties for Liverpool vs. Arsenal but has since been removed from his post.

Michael Salisbury has been removed from VAR duties for Liverpool vs. Arsenal. Image: Getty

Needless to say, Fulham boss Marco Silva fumed at the VAR decision that denied his team from taking the lead against Chelsea.

"In the first half I saw my team playing outstanding football," Silva said. "Playing football - not trying to be fake, not parking the bus or something like that. All the decisions from the VAR and the referee made a massive impact on the game.

"To disallow a goal like that is unbelievable. Unbelievable. We have all the meetings with the people in charge; we try to see their direction. One of the main things was: 'VAR is not here to referee the game'.

"I would prefer to say nothing more as I will be punished. I want to be on the bench for the next game, I don’t want to pay fines. But it has been difficult with so many decisions against us at the start of the season."