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’s wildest moments: Alisson’s two red cards in one game
– VAR in the Premier League: Ultimate guide
JUMP TO: Arsenal 3-1 Tottenham | Fulham 1-4 Newcastle | Bournemouth 0-0 Brentford | Liverpool 3-3 Brighton | Man City 6-3 Man United | Leeds 0-0 Villa
Possible red card: Handball denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO) by Silva
What happened: In the 33rd minute with Chelsea 1-0 down, Thiago Silva attempted to intercept a forward pass and shift the ball out wide. He fell to the ground under a challenge from Jordan Ayew, and pushed the ball away with his hand into the legs of the Crystal Palace forward so he didn’t have the chance to break towards goal. Referee Chris Kavanagh showed the yellow card for stopping a promising attack.
VAR decision: No red card.
VAR review: Making judgement on the threshold between a yellow and a red on DOGSO is often tricky, as there are a number of factors a referee and the VAR, in this case Stuart Attwell, have to consider.
An example such as this looks worse, too, with Silva’s handball clearly a deliberate act to stop the Palace player from getting the ball. But the officials can only use the interpretation that covers DOGSO, and not take into account the cynical nature of Silva’s actions.
While the contact on Onana was high, Van Dijk mistimed a genuine challenge and there was neither the force or the nature of the contact on the shin to be deemed a clear missed red card by the VAR. Royal, too, had no great force in his challenge (more on this in the next section) but it was how he made contact, with no realistic ability to play the ball, in a way that was dangerous to the opponent.
We are likely to see similar incidents which only see a yellow card produced but, as explained in the Silva incident, Taylor’s decision to show a red card to Royal is an acceptable disciplinary outcome.
VAR overturn: Red card for Chalobah
What happened: In the fifth minute Nathaniel Chalobah fouled Sean Longstaff, referee Darren England played the advantage and booked the Fulham player when the move broke down.
VAR decision: Yellow card upgraded to red.
VAR review: The definition of force in the Laws of the Game is often misunderstood. A player mistiming a tackle and catching an opponent above the ankle could be considered to be endangering the safety of an opponent, but it often won’t involve excessive force. Chalobah’s VAR red card against Newcastle United is the perfect example of the latter.
Chalobah came into the challenge at speed, and while he didn’t catch Longstaff particular high above the ankle it was the force at which he did so that meant the VAR, Mike Dean, was always likely to advise the referee to upgrade the card to red.
VAR decision: The VAR, John Brooks, advised a penalty kick but Bramall rejected this after reviewing the replays at the monitor.
VAR review: Is there a case for a penalty? Absolutely. Was it a “clear and obvious error” not to award a penalty? This one will split opinion and it’s up for debate whether there was enough for a VAR intervention, even if you think it should have been a penalty kick.
The Brentford player certainly touches the ball with his supporting leg, while also making contact with Zemura with his raised leg.
Does Ajer make any kind of foul before winning the ball? As Ajer goes into the tackle with one leg raised, does that negate winning the ball with his other foot? The VAR felt so, but Bramall stuck to his own original decision.
VAR decision: No penalty.
VAR review: While Moore certainly went down under the contact from Jansson, he was pushed into the Bournemouth striker by Lerma. No chance of a VAR penalty and the correct decision.
VAR decision: No penalty.
VAR review: While there’s no doubt the ball hit the arm of Jensen, there’s no chance a penalty could be awarded for this — and it would have been overturned by the VAR if it had.
Jensen makes a failed attempt the clear the ball and it bounces up off his leg and onto his arm, which is behind his body in a natural position for kicking the ball. The Brentford player isn’t even looking in the direction the ball hits his arm.
Even though Bramall blew the final whistle straight after the incident it was still possible for the VAR to advise a penalty kick (see Brighton vs Man United in September 2020.)
VAR decision: Goal
VAR review: Another example of a goal being allowed thanks to the “benefit of the doubt” added to VAR offside in the summer of 2021.
A single green line to the last defender shows it was a close decision within the tolerance level.
Compare it to this goal Salah had disallowed by the VAR at Brighton in the 2020-21 season. The two lines shown are touching, so this goal would have been allowed if the “benefit of the doubt” had been in place at the time.
There were two other close offside calls, but neither required the “benefit of the doubt” with the green attacker’s line being behind that of the defender.
First, for Callum Wilson‘s opening goal for Newcastle at Fulham.
And also for Man City’s Sergio Gomez before he set up Erling Haaland for his hat-trick goal in the Manchester derby.
Possible ball out of play: Foden’s second goal
What happened: Manchester City‘s Phil Foden completed his hat trick in the 72nd minute, but there was a VAR check for the ball being out of play.
VAR decision: Goal stands.
VAR review: To disallow the goal, the VAR (Paul Tierney) would need to have definitive proof all of the ball was out of play when Kevin De Bruyne attempted to keep it in.
While most of the ball was over the touchline, it’s not certain the whole of it was (including the over-hang.) Therefore, the goal had to stand to put Man City 6-1 up against Manchester United.
