Well, I for one have written to the referees association, not that it will achieve anything but because I was so pi55ed off with the whole thing. For anyone that is interested this is what I wrote:

“Dear sirs,

I am extremely disheartened by the performance of the referee and VAR assistant in yesterday’s match between Crystal Palace and Liverpool at Selhurst Park, so much so that I felt it necessary to write to you.

Apart from general inconsistencies in the application of the laws to each team and the failure of the referee to halt the game when there was a clear head injury, there were two goals scored one of which ignored an interfering offside player and a penalty which was a ludicrous decision that has received universal condemnation.

There are several points in play here. With regard to the second Liverpool goal, why was the offside player not given offside when he jumped to head the ball missing it by a whisker. This is a clear motion that activates his status as being in an offside position. Had he not jumped ie having some awareness that he was offside then I could understand the outcome however he clearly influenced the defender next to him by his actions.

The penalty was not initially given by the referee.

Three matters here, firstly what was the clear and obvious error made that required VAR to be involved, secondly, having lost control of the ball is the attacker permitted to alter the line of his run and initiate contact with another player in this case the goalkeeper and thirdly, the ball was running out of play for a goal kick anyway and there was not a hope that the player could have reached it before it went out.

This penalty decision has received universal condemnation from football pundits, players and even other referees so why is it that two of your top officials can get these decisions so wrong?

There is no excuse for it and this along with some other incredible decisions made this season are clearly tarnishing the game and the FAs reputation.

I don’t really expect a reply but I do hope these comments are not ignored.

Yours faithfully,”

If you wish to make your own point bombard them with emails at

Referees@theFA.com

Nicely put Eaglecoops. I've also emailed Referees@theFA.com. Let us know if you get a response (I like you am not holding my breath).

When you have people like Carragher and Clattenburg agreeing with our interpretation of that penalty decision... well what more can you say. I actually laughed at Jota clattering into Guita when it happened, as it was such a poor excuse to try and get a penalty.

When the second goal went in I was waiting for the VAR check and for offside to be given and was annoyed enough with that, but that penalty? I genuinely thought it was being checked to see if Jota should be booked for impeding the goalkeeper and diving.

When Olise landed on his head/neck and Friend didn't stop the game and waved at him to get up, you can see Ward rightly giving him an absolute earful when he did eventually stop play. So wasn't surprised at all when Friend booked Ward at the first opportunity he could afterward.

I've never understood why referees don't have to explain their decisions in situations like the penalty after the match to the general public. Even if I didn't agree with it, it might help to understand the thought process behind the decision. Their decision-making process should be more public, in Rugby the refs wear radios that everyone can hear what they are saying if they want to tune in, so why not in football?

Right now all I can assume is that there's some kind of corruption going on as what other excuse is there? VAR is supposed to help remove these "mistakes" from the game, it's the only reason it's tolerated despite the objection to it when it came in, so what choice do you have but to think that not all is fair when you see something so blatantly ridiculous? Refs making an "honest mistake" isn't something we should see in these situations anymore, it's what VAR is designed to remove rather than create. So that only leaves incompetence or corruption (or in Friend's case, probably both).

The trouble with computers, of course, is that they're very sophisticated idiots

Thanks Neil, but I raised an eyebrown when he said Friend and Pawson were two good referees. But that was probably to make his comments more measured and not merely slagging off two incompetents.

Yes my thoughts entirely. Using Occam's Razor there can be no other way to view the situation.

Have you tried typing it in rather than using it as a link?