Video Assistant Referee causes controversy every week in the Premier League, but how are decisions made, and are they correct?
After each weekend we take a look at the major incidents, to examine and explain the process both in terms of VAR protocol and the Laws of the Game.
In this week’s VAR Review: Should Manchester United defender Lisandro Martínez have been sent off at Crystal Palace? Did Arsenal‘s Gabriel Martinelli foul Manchester City goalkeeper Éderson before Gabriel scored? And was there a case for a red card for Tottenham Hotspur ‘keeper Guglielmo Vicario?
Possible red card: Martínez challenge on Kamada
What happened: Manchester United were on the attack in the 63rd minute when the ball ran loose to the edge of the area. Crystal Palace midfielder Daichi Kamada went to challenge Lisandro Martínez, with the United player appearing to go into the challenge two-footed. Referee David Coote awarded a free kick to Palace and booked Martínez.
VAR decision: No red card.
VAR review: There’s a common misconception that handball outside the area is an automatic red card, but the goalkeeper must be denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO).
Vicario’s first two touches are important, as they come when the ball is inside the area and take the ball behind Damsgaard and away from goal. That means the direction of travel is away from goal, Damsgaard doesn’t have a realistic chance to get immediate control of the ball and two Tottenham players would have the ability to close him down.
If Vicario had handled the ball outside the area and it was going towards goal for Damsgaard to run on to, that would be a clear case of DOGSO.
As it’s not DOGSO, the VAR cannot get involved to tell the referee, John Brooks, that a handball has been missed so a free kick and a yellow card should be awarded. The real question is for the assistant, as he had the key view to spot that Vicario had handled outside the area.
It should have been a booking and a free kick to Brentford, but nothing more than that.
Some factual parts of this article include information provided by the Premier League and PGMOL.
