Premier League all-time goalscorer Alan Shearer was left furious with Kevin Friend's decision to award Liverpool a penalty in their win over Crystal Palace on Sunday.
With the Reds ahead 2-1 with minutes remaining, goalkeeper Vincente Guaita collided with Diogo Jota
Referee Kevin Friend initially gave a goal kick but after VAR intervention, the decision was overturned and Liverpool were awarded a penalty which Fabinho duly dispatched to wrap up the three points.
The decision angered Palace manager Patrick Viera, who said that he "can’t understand how he managed to give that penalty. I looked at it from every single angle and I still don’t understand how that can be a penalty."
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Ex-striker turned pundit Shearer agreed with the Eagles boss, labelling the call "pathetic."
"When I watched it live I thought goal kick, he mis-kicked it," Shearer said when speaking on Premier League Productions.
"And when I saw it in slow motion, nothing changed at all and for the life of me, Kevin Friend and Craig Pawson, how on earth can they both somehow get to this ridiculous, wrong, pathetic, stupid decision. Any other words you can give me? Can you tell I'm angry?
"The standard of our refereeing this year, this season, has been awful. It has to be said. There are so many poor decisions. VAR is actually making our referees worse.
"They're under so much pressure and I go back to the point, never ever not a penalty in a million years and how two experience, so-called experienced referees can somehow think that is a penalty is baffling to me."
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Shearer went on to add that he couldn't believe Friend changed his mind and allowed Craig Pawson in the VAR booth to recommend that a penalty should be given.
He said: "Craig Pawson in VAR thinks that is an absolute howler from Kevin friend. Really?
"He thinks that's a clear and obvious howler for him to say: 'No, I think you've made such a big error. I'm going to recommend you go to the screen and review your decision.'
"Then, Kevin Friend hasn't got the courage to say: 'You know what, Craig? No, you're wrong. I'm happy with my original decision and I'm sticking by it. I'm not going to listen to you because I think you're wrong.'
"But he somehow thinks no, I've made a howler myself and I better go with what Craig's recommending. It's rubbish. It's nonsense."
