World News – UK – Lee Mason retires as fourth official for Sheffield United against Liverpool

Mason was involved in an extremely controversial incident during the West Brom victory over Brighton on Saturday

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Lee Mason has retired from his duties for Liverpool’s clash against Sheffield United due to a muscle injury sustained at the end of West Brom’s controversial win over Brighton

Under-Fire Mason was supposed to be the fourth official for the clash at Bramall Lane but has now been replaced by John Brooks

Mason has been heavily criticized for handling an illegal goal from Brighton in his 1-0 loss to the Baggies on Saturday

The seagulls had in the 28 Minute won a free kick in a dangerous position, and her defender Lewis Dunk asked Mason if he could take it quickly

Mason seemed to show this was okay by whistling, but just before Dunk’s attempt hit the back of the net, he changed his mind by whistling again

After he had apparently reverted to his decision and awarded the gate, a VAR check closed the gate in the farcical scenes at the Hawthorns for good

After the match, Dunk struck Mason’s performance and said, “It’s embarrassing. It’s a terrible decision. I said to the referee,” Can I take it? “He whistled and I took it

“Just because you have so much pressure from the bench and the players, you can’t ban the goal VAR doesn’t know what he said

“It’s a terrible decision. Why doesn’t he come and talk to the press like me? Why doesn’t he come and make his point? But it will never happen, he’ll hide behind his bladder”

And he was also frequently criticized for his role as VAR in Tomas Soucek’s recent Fulham farewell – a decision that was later overturned after the West Ham appeal

Lee Mason