EPL: Referee Kevin Friend suspended after controversial Liverpool penalty

The Premier League has not assigned any fixture to referee Kevin Friend for the next round of fixtures.

Friend was in charge of the game between Liverpool and Crystal Palace, which saw the Reds win 3-1 at Selhurst Park.

With the score at 2-1, Diogo Jota raced clear and bundled into Palace goalkeeper Vicente Guaita with minutes remaining.

Friend awarded a penalty before VAR begun checking to confirm. Then the man at Stokely Park, Craig Pawson, advised him to go to the monitor. As has been the case this season, Friend analyzed the slow motion replays and changed his decision.

It was the 49th time a referee had been asked to consult the pitch-side monitor and every time the original decision has been changed.