Mike Dean and Paul Merson in heated live row on TV as Simon Thomas apologises

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    Mike Dean and Paul Merson were embroiled in a ferocious row live on Sky Sports Soccer Saturday.

    Presenter Simon Thomas asked former Premier League referee Dean how refereeing could be improved in light of the controversy surrounding the VAR calamity at Tottenham vs Liverpool last week.

    Dean explained the "ongoing process" of referees being trained better, before taking a jibe at former players' knowledge on the Laws of the Game – including Merson, who was there as a pundit. Dean suggested that former players should never be placed in charge of the technology as they "don’t know the laws", sparking the Arsenal legend's fury.

    READ MORE: Graeme Souness blasts Premier League 'rock star refs' and says VAR 'should be a 'doddle'

    READ MORE: Liverpool 'could launch legal challenge' over VAR blunder that may cost them £80million

    The ex-official said: "I don't know the way forward – do you get ex-players in? For me, no. If you get ex-players in, half of them don't know the laws."

    Dean added: "As you can tell by what you've just said about restarting the game for the sake of it," pointing at Merson and his fellow pundits.

    An incensed Merson responded by saying: "For the sake of it? FOR THE SAKE OF IT?! What do you mean for the sake of it? Tottenham versus Liverpool is one of the biggest games and you're saying for the sake of it!"

    Who do you think is speaking the most sense? Let us know in the comments section.

    Dean repeatedly said: "You don't know the law," to which Merson yelled: "Come on. No one's going to die! So stop the game! You're all scared, like 'oh my God I'm going to get in trouble.'"

    Thomas swiftly told Merson to calm down before apologising to the sound department for the pundit's outburst. The intense argument is just the latest debate since VAR incorrectly ruled out Liverpool's opening goal against Spurs.

    Referee body PGMOL admitted a "significant human error" had been made on their part, before releasing audio of the bewildering decision. It showed stunning levels of confusion as the VAR official said "check complete" – inadvertently locking in the on-pitch referee's wrong decision to rule the goal out with offside.

    The snippet led furious football fans to state that the game should have been stopped and rewinded back once the VAR officials became aware of their mistake seconds later – which would have gone against the current rules of the game.

    • Tottenham Hotspur FC
    • Premier League
    • Liverpool FC

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