I am still livid and very much against the decision but I think this is a fair take EC. I very much do not see it as a foul by Hughes but am at least aware of my bias.

It does, however, only irk me further that VAR was quite clearly used beyond protocol, typical fashion or their self written laws, to determine the most beneficial decision for the bigger team.

If Hughes had thrown a right hook from behind, ran his studs down the defenders calf then thrown him with two hands to the ground, and the ref played on, I would consider that a clear and obvious error.

When the ref waves play on after a tussle, VAR intervene, and he stares at a screen for a considerable amount of time with VAR in his ear, I am confident they were getting ducks in order to ensure the best result for Liverpool or perhaps just themselves, as they would be far less personally impacted by the award of a FK and the disallowing of a penalty.

It might not be the fake Sheikhs or envelopes under a table, but it is corruption IMHO that the laws of the game are enacted in an imbalanced way to favour the more powerful.

Now Zaha's got a bit of green grass ahead of him here... and finds Ambrose... not a bad effort!!!!

Yep I 100% agree.

If VAR check and its marginal, they shouldn't be making the ref go and look at it again. Especially when it then requires him to watch it over and over again. They should go with the on field decision.

You can’t be a genuine Palace fan, Willo, if you’ve never come away from a game in your 50+ years watching games without cursing a referee for costing us a game!

More seriously , and on the wider point, I do believe referees can be intimidated (think the likes of Ferguson, Mourinho, Revie) and in football autobiographies players have openly acknowledged employing techniques to influence referees.
This could range from finding out about their families and hobbies and engaging in friendly chit chat to get them onside, praising them unreservedly for their decisions during a game and generally massaging their egos.
Players from smaller clubs on opposing sides have noted that referees are often on first name terms with big club players, whereas they are just referred to as number 6 or whatever their shirt number happens to be.
I’m not suggesting this is evidence of outright corruption by referees ( although there have been some well known cases) , but human nature being as it is I do believe there are marginal influences which can have a bearing on referees’ decision making process.
They are not infallible, Willo.

With respect, I have never asserted that referees are 'Infallible' and of course I have vented my frustration over the years when decisions have gone against our team.

In bygone days, there wasn't the wall-to-wall coverage and slow-motion technology that exists at present and if there was I suspect I would have realised that my high-decibel fulmination was not well placed !

Supporters react to incidents often with animus but I suspect many on reflection will conclude that they were immersed in the emotion and can understand why certain decisions were made.I admit I entered this category but more controlled at present due to the advancement of years !

Edited by Willo (11 Dec 2023 10.30am)

It has been a pleasure discussing this matter with you free from vitriol and the coarsening of discourse.

In the final analysis I am an addlepated gentleman of advanced years and a lustreless dud to boot !

The VAR will only check the attacking possession phase that led to a penalty or goal.

The starting point is limited to the immediate phase. The VAR may not go back to when the attacking team gained possession.