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
In this week’s VAR Review: Should West Ham United have been given a penalty for handball against Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof? Was it correct to disallow their goal for a foul by Michail Antonio on David de Gea? Why was Newcastle United‘s penalty against Arsenal cancelled? And when is a penalty a soft penalty?
Possible penalty: Handball by Lindelof
What happened: In first-half stoppage time with West Ham already 1-0 up, Said Benrahma attempted to cross into the area and the ball hit the arm of Manchester United centre-back Victor Lindelof. Referee Peter Bankes waved away appeals for a penalty and United broke up field.
VAR decision: No penalty.
VAR review: Perhaps one of the softer fouls we are likely to see, but when a striker puts himself in a position whereby the goalkeeper cannot use his arms to get to the ball, it’s always likely to be given and certainly won’t be reversed by the VAR.
VAR review: The first of a series of penalty decisions this weekend which go right to the heart of VAR protocol, and when an intervention is expected.
From Silva’s challenge the ball moved out to the right, which will have given the referee the impression that the Chelsea defender got the ball.
However, replays showed that it was in fact Solanke who got the touch, so does that make it a clear and obvious error? If the incident hasn’t played out as the referee describes to the VAR, does that automatically mean he should be sent to the monitor? That would probably be the case if there was a lower threshold for intervention, but in the Premier League the VAR, in this case Peter Bankes, will be looking for a smoking gun. Can he really be certain that there is a foul challenge, even if the defender didn’t in fact touch the ball?
Any contact from Silva on Solanke would have been very slight, so even if the referee thought the defender did get to the ball it wouldn’t be considered an error not to give the penalty kick. But as we see in the next match, evidence of contact can also mean an awarded penalty must stand, even if the award is soft.
VAR review: A very soft penalty, but once the referee has awarded it and the VAR, Paul Tierney, has identified contact by defender on attacker, then the penalty must stand.
If Oliver hadn’t awarded the penalty then it’s very unlikely it would have been given through the VAR — just as was the case with Solanke. Because the level of contact was negligible, it wouldn’t be considered a clear and obvious error not to give the penalty. But because contact was present, it’s not a clear and obvious error to award it. You can forgive fans for being confused about this.
Protocol is the same across leagues right up to UEFA competitions.
VAR review: Another review which seemed to take far longer than was necessary with the VAR, Jarred Gillett, looking at several different angles to try to detect if Leno had got a touch on the ball before he collided with Vardy.
A penalty appeared to be the correct decision from the first replay, and it’s questionable if it could have been considered a clear and obvious error to give the spot kick if the VAR was needing to look at so many different angles for proof of a touch.
VAR review: For all Palhinha’s protestations, there was definite contact on Maddison, with the Fulham midfielder leaving a trailing leg to stop his progress.
Like other on-field penalties awarded this weekend, there was no chance of a VAR overturn. Contact was there and the penalty had been awarded, so it won’t be overturned.
VAR review: The reaction of the Leeds United player said everything about this, with Struijk clearly playing the man rather than the ball. Struijk places his left leg across Foden, which forces the Man City player to the ground.
It would always stand as a penalty, and no reason for the VAR to get involved.
