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.
– How VAR decisions affected every Prem club in 2022-23
– VAR in the Premier League: Ultimate guide
JUMP TO: Newcastle 1-0 Fulham | Brentford 2-0 Bournemouth | Villa 2-1 Leeds | Forest 2-0 Leicester
VAR review: In the spirit of the game, and certainly in terms of “what football expects” (a phrase regularly used by the lawmakers), there seems little doubt that offside would have been a better decision. But the Laws of the Game are not this straightforward, especially when it comes to subjective elements of offside like this.
The key question for the VAR, Michael Oliver, is purely whether Attwell has made a clear error in law to overrule the assistant and allow the goal. And the answer under the offside law, whether we like it or not, is undoubtedly no. Oliver would only send the referee to the monitor if he felt the decision was incorrect in law, and not just for a second look.
While the assistant made the decision to flag Rashford offside, the referee remains in charge of the subjective elements and, from his viewpoint, decided at no point Rashford had impacted an opponent.
This doesn’t mean we won’t see similar incidents given offside, because it’s so subjective and, in most cases, officials will err on the side of caution and give the offside. Indeed, had Rashford not scored then it’s almost certain the game would have restarted with the offside free kick to Manchester City. Later on Saturday, Liverpool‘s Trent Alexander-Arnold was given offside when chasing a ball that went out for a throw-in, and just like in this example he didn’t touch the ball.
To understand why it’s not a clear and obvious error by Attwell, we need to delve into the law itself.
VAR review: A decision which certainly wouldn’t have been overturned if the referee had awarded the penalty, and it would have been a red card for Burn too, but there isn’t quite enough in it for a VAR overturn in the Premier League.
There’s no doubt that Burn had his hand on Pereira’s arm, but was it enough to make the Fulham player go to ground in the way he did? Probably not, and that will influence the decision of the VAR.
Based upon past examples of on-field decisions supported by the independent assessment panel, it is unlikely to say this was a wrong decision.
VAR review: This was a poor VAR intervention from Mike Dean, as De Cordova-Reid appears to commit the first offence. The Fulham midfielder missed the ball and caught Trippier on the top of the foot before the Newcastle United player made contact with his opponent.
VAR review: At first, this seemed to be a good decision by referee Jarred Gillett. However, once you look at the incident more closely there is a clear case that Toney first fouls Senesi. The Brentford striker appears to lock arms with his opponent, and as they spin round Senesi brings him to the ground as he falls.
VAR review: Much like the penalty claim for Pereira against Newcastle, this is an incident which in the Premier League has almost always been left to the on-field official. There is clearly an arm on Rodrigo by Luiz, but it debatable whether that had enough impact on the Leeds United player to warrant a VAR penalty to be advised by Andy Madley.
Another decision which would have stayed as a penalty if given by Oliver, but is unlikely to go down as a missed VAR intervention by the independent panel.
VAR review: From the first replay on television it looked as though Johnson had to be offside, but once the technology had been applied the striker was clearly onside.
It wasn’t even close enough for Johnson to need the tolerance level applied to the tech to be given onside.
There were two other VAR overturns for offside over the weekend, both very clear decisions.
On Friday, Aston Villa were awarded a goal when Emiliano Buendia (the player who is further back on this offside image) was wrongly flagged offside — meaning two goals were added through VAR over the weekend.
Brighton & Hove Albion, meanwhile, thought they had a penalty against Liverpool but Solly March was clearly offside in the buildup and the spot kick was overturned.
