(^) IN ASSOCIATION WITH
ARSENAL 2 BURNLEY 1
VAR was called into action once at the
Emirates Stadium — to rightly rule out
an Arsenal goal. Just before half-time,
with the score 1-1, Nacho Monreal ran
on to a through ball before pulling it
back for Reiss Nelson, who thought he
had scored his first Arsenal goal.
Assistant Darren Cann had already
raised his flag for offside against
Monreal but it went to VAR and the
officials at Stockley Park confirmed
Cann had got the call correct. The
sight of ‘no goal’ on the big screen
prompted wild celebrations from
Burnley fans.
VAR VERDICT: BACKED UP ASSISTANT
ASTON VILLA 1 BOURNEMOUTH 2
ThE one use of VAR at Villa Park
came early in the second half when
Bournemouth goalkeeper Aaron
Ramsdale was adjudged not to have
clipped Villa striker Wesley in the box.
VAR official Jon Moss called a penalty
check but Ramsdale clearly reached
the ball first and no penalty was
awarded. Surprisingly, VAR was not
deployed for Bournemouth’s penalty
in the first minute, although referee
Martin Atkinson had a clear view of
the contact as Tom heaton brought
down Callum Wilson.
VAR VERDICT: SPOT ON
SOUTHAMPTON 1 LIVERPOOL 2
ST MARy’S was a VAR-free zone.
VAR VERDICT: N/A
BRIGHTON 1 WEST HAM 1
LEANDRo TRoSSARD’S
28th-minute strike, which was given
as a goal by referee Anthony Taylor,
was overturned by VAR after Dan
Burn, who crossed for the Belgian to
score, strayed offside in the build-up.
Trouble was it took more than two
minutes after Trossard’s volley had hit
the net — and when both sides had
lined up for the restart — for Taylor
to make the call. Surely it could have
been made quicker?
VAR VERDICT: TOO SLOW
EVERTON 1 WATFORD 0
ThERE was one incident that those in
the stadium were told had been
referred to VAR, a penalty appeal for
Watford in the first half. It was a
surprise that yerry Mina’s challenge
was scrutinised because the tackle
looked fair — and so it proved. Earlier,
there was an opportunity for VAR
when Dominic Calvert-Lewin went
down in Watford’s area. Everton’s case
looked far more substantial than
Watford’s but no check was made — or
so we thought. Word reached the
media room at half-time that it had
been checked at Stockley Park. If that
was the case, why were the paying
spectators not informed?
VAR VERDICT: FRUSTRATING
NORWICH 3 NEWCASTLE 1
Nothing to trouble the VAR scorers.
VAR VERDICT: N/A
SHEFFIELD UTD 1 CRYSTAL PALACE 0
VAR was not used, though Sheffield
United twice felt there were cases
against Palace’s Joel Ward, a handball
and a high kick on oli McBurnie.
VAR VERDICT: DIDN’T INTERFERE
CHELSEA 1 LEICESTER 1
A LATE James Maddison goal for
Leicester was correctly ruled out —
and it was clear to everyone at
Stamford Bridge it was offside.
VAR VERDICT: DID THE JOB
p player. Giovani Lo Celso is simi-
n you compare with teams in the
ce as us it’s completely different.’
o why Pochettino is such an oppo-
the Premier League’s early dead-
feels a vulnerability to predators
hat does not affect Guardiola.
ttino is justifiably paranoid that
s could be suddenly overturned by
move for Christian Eriksen, Toby
ireld or Jan Vertonghen.
ould be confident or retaining
uad in similar circumstances.
ally, Tottenham chairman Daniel
as among those who favoured
g the summer window before the
son began, although Pochettino
he has since changed his mind.
n’t in agreement with the decision
y felt it was best for the clubs,’
k Daniel Levy and a lot of people
ise it was a massive mistake.
e that we fix the problem for the
ason because I think we need to
in the same way as Europe. It’s
when other Champions League
eams can make a problem
or you.
‘I cannot be happy as a coach —
n the last three weeks clubs from
urope can unsettle my team. For
me, it’s not common sense and we
go back quick, and I hope they
good conversation at the Premier
about that.’
w, though, Pochettino will have to
ottenham are as resilient in the
international overtures as they
ainst City. he cannot afford for
to widen. Indeed, no one can.
TER CITY (4-2-3-1): Ederson 6; Walker 6,
6 , Laporte 6, Zinchenko 5; Rodri 6.5
min), Gundogan 6.5; B Silva 7 (Mahrez 80),
8.5, Sterling 8; Aguero 7 (Jesus 65, 7).
sed: Bravo, Fernandinho, Cancelo, Foden.
terling 20, Aguero 35.
erling. Manager: Pep Guardiola 8.
M HOTSPUR (4-2-3-1): Lloris 7; Walker-
derweireld 7.5, Sanchez 6.5, Rose 7;
6 .5, Winks 6.5 (Moura 56, 7.5); Sissoko 5.5,
(Lo Celso 85), Eriksen 6 (Skipp 90); Kane 5.
sed: Gazzaniga, Vertonghen, Dier, Davies.
amela 23, Moura 56.
Mauricio Pochettino 8.
Michael Oliver 6. Attendance: 54,503.
VA R
DE BRUYNE BAFFLED BY HANDBALL
KEVIN DE BRUYNE was told VAR
would not have given a
penalty against Tottenham,
even if the player marking
Aymeric Laporte had handled
the ball.
Manchester City were crushed
when VAR ruled out Gabriel
Jesus’s injury-time winner on
Saturday for an inadvertent
handball by Laporte as he
challenged for a corner.
Tottenham substitute Oliver
Skipp was challenging for it
next to him and also had an
arm raised, but De Bruyne
claims he was told it would
not have been a penalty to
City had the Tottenham man
handled instead. It exposes
the inconsistencies in the new
handball law which insists
there can be no accidents by
the attacking team in the
build-up to a goal — but leaves
other areas grey.
De Bruyne said: ‘I was told
after the game that if it had
hit a Tottenham arm it
wouldn’t have been our
penalty. So I don’t understand
it at all. I think it should be
debated. I’m old fashioned.
I’m not the biggest pro-VAR. I
think if you want to make
football better you should be
able to understand it. We
knew the goal was being
reviewed, because every goal
is reviewed — but I didn’t
know why, and Tottenham
didn’t know either.
‘They made this rule about
handball and it’s new. But
when you see the video, it’s
impossible to take his arm
away.’
What happened
in other games?
restling match: Rodri tumbles
ter being grappled by Lamela
ut no penalty was awarded
REUTERS
MARTIN SAMUEL
First contact: Laporte’s arm causes the VAR over-rule that led Jesus to confront Oliver GETTY IMAGES
ThE report in yesterday’s Mail
on Sunday on the video
technology that is rocking
football was eye-opening.
It revealed how the cameras
used by VAR run at 50 frames
per second, meaning one
picture is taken every 0.02 secs.
When it comes to offside calls,
that is not advanced enough to
decipher the exact moment
when the ball is played. It
means in the gap between
Frame A and Frame B, a player
can go from onside to offside,
but VAR has to choose one or
the other to go off. It means
there is apparently a margin of
error that could be as big as
38.8cm, and that is a problem.
It is 50 years since we put a
man on the moon but we can’t
get cameras quick enough to
decide when a ball is played?
This is an issue officials have to
look into. I don’t agree with
those saying VAR should be
scrapped for this season.
We started the campaign with
it and have to see it out.
Get the cameras up to speed now
MY VERDICT
MARTIN
KEOWN
Urge referees to use the monitors
Make it much more transparent
AFTER Manchester City’s
Gabriel Jesus had his late strike
disallowed, the TV camera cut
to Sergio Aguero looking
perplexed on the bench.
he was not alone. Supporters
inside the Etihad Stadium will
have felt that way too. If I
could change one thing about
VAR, it would be to make it
more transparent.
I want to be able to hear the
officials as they dissect a
decision, like we can in cricket.
In its current form, confusion
reigns. After a goal, let’s hear:
‘Checking for offside. It’s not
offside. Checking for potential
foul. There’s no foul.’ or in
Saturday’s case: ‘Under the
guidelines for handball, that
goal has got to be disallowed.
The ball hit Aymeric Laporte’s
arm and his team gained an
advantage from it.’
Fans might not agree with the
decision but at least they could
then understand it.
As for the handball itself, it
may seem an unpopular
opinion but, speaking as an
active referee, I agree with the
law change.
It used to be that it had to be
deliberate to be a foul but how
does a referee know what is
and isn’t deliberate?
That was too vague. This new
guideline simplifies matters.
If you gain an advantage from
handball, whether accidental
or not, it has to be punished.
I also believe our officials
should be using their
pitch-side monitors more.
If Michael oliver had gone to
review Erik Lamela’s challenge
on Rodri, then I’m sure he
would have awarded a penalty.
WE have not seen one official
consult his pitchside monitor
in the Premier League.
Why is that? That is what they
are there for.
The incident involving
Manchester City’s Rodri at the
Etihad Stadium, when Erik
Lamela bear-hugged him to
the ground inside the box,
was begging to be looked at.
Michael Oliver is probably the
best referee in the Premier
League but he did not give it a
second look.
There has been a lot of
discussion about VAR and the
handball law but the bigger
issue for me was the
Rodri-Lamela clash.
Referees have to be brave and
use their monitors. VAR
officials have to tell referees
when they think a potential
penalty might have been
missed. Don’t just ignore the
technology you have at your
disposal. We have brought this
into our game, so embrace it.
It feels as if we’re standing on
the edge of the diving board
but too afraid to jump in.
VAR will be good for football.
It will even things up. It has
long been assumed that the
big teams could bully the
smaller ones, especially at
home. I’ll admit I remember
Liverpool being awarded
penalties towards the end of
games at Anfield and thinking:
‘Really?’ The referees were
petrified. Now, it’s more of a
level playing field.
MARK
CLATTENBURG
MY VERDICT
JAMIE
REDKNAPP
MY VERDICT
HOW WOULD YOU CHANGE VAR?
lily
(lily)
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