Cucurella hair pull, Diaz disaster: VAR’s worst decisions yet

But once more, one other weekend passes with VAR sadly making the headlines…

Newcastle United’s 1-0 victory over the visiting Arsenal was affected by controversial choices. Firstly, Kai Havertz’s forceful problem on Sean Longstaff was solely deemed worthy of a yellow, with some suggesting it warranted a better punishment.

Bruno Guimarães’ clubbing forearm on Jorginho wasn’t deemed a red-card offence to the amazement of many, whereas Anthony Gordon’s Sixty fourth-minute winner was checked by the VAR for a lot of potential offences, although the aim stood. Mikel Arteta was visibly livid within the post-match presser, labelling the choice to award the aim a ‘shame’.

Saturday’s chaos spilt over to Monday’s derby in north London, as Chelsea had been on the receiving finish of some controversial choices.

Tottenham Hotspur’s Future Udogie and Cristian Romero had been despatched off, however each might have been given their marching orders rather a lot earlier within the fiery encounter, because the pair maybe warranted crimson playing cards for severe foul play and violent conduct respectively.

So, after a reasonably hectic weekend within the Premier League, the highlight is as soon as once more on the division’s officiating.

That has led Soccer FanCast to create a listing of a few of the worst VAR choices because the begin of final season. It appears a brand new low is being set this 12 months!

15
The Soucek handball incident vs Chelsea

11 February 2023: West Ham 1-1 Chelsea

Chelsea had been left incensed after the referee denied their claims of a penalty following a handball within the penalty space by West Ham United midfielder Tomas Soucek.

Conor Gallagher’s low strike seemed to be heading heading in the right direction earlier than Soucek’s hand diverted the ball away from aim into the arms of Łukasz Fabiański.

VAR didn’t intervene to award the penalty to the shock of many, with Craig Pawson and Neil Swarbrick at fault.

It seems the officers thought the hand was in a pure place and subsequently deemed it as not a deliberate try to deal with the ball.

BT Sport’s (now TNT Sports activities) referee pundit Peter Walton believed it was the inaccurate choice.

“The regulation is kind of clear, it truly says unnaturally greater. VAR clearly thinks the arm was in a pure place to interrupt his fall.

If you analyse it, you’ll be able to see it is previous his knee after which he decides. For me, it is deliberate and I am upset VAR didn’t give the referee the chance to have a re-examination,” Walton stated.

14
Estupinan aim disallowed vs Crystal Palace

11 February 2023: Crystal Palace 1-1 Brighton

Brighton left-back Pervis Estupinan had his aim wrongly disallowed because of the offside traces being drawn in opposition to the incorrect Crystal Palace participant.

The video assistant referee who made the error was subsequently withdrawn from the following two Premier League matches he was scheduled to officiate.

The incident was put all the way down to ‘human error’ in an announcement launched by the PGMOL.

Lee Mason was the person at fault on this occasion.

For De Zerbi’s males, that error turned out to price them three factors within the M23 derby.

13
Martinelli disallowed aim vs Manchester United

4 September 2022: Manchester United 3-1 Arsenal

Gunners captain Martin Odegaard nicked possession off Christian Eriksen within the build-up to Gabriel Martinelli’s opening aim at Outdated Trafford final September.

Nonetheless, the aim was disallowed by VAR, who deemed Odegaard to have fouled Eriksen, which was a controversial name, to say the least.

The referee on the day was Paul Tierney, with Lee Mason the VAR official.

The decision was later judged incorrect by a panel comprising of three former gamers, a consultant from the Premier League and the PGMOL.

The North Londoners went onto the lose the sport by a two-goal deficit however had that aim stood, issues might’ve turned out in a different way, to Mikel Arteta’s frustration.

12
Luiz crimson card vs Fulham

20 October 2022: Fulham 3-0 Aston Villa

Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz was proven a straight crimson card for violent conduct after clashing with Fulham ahead Aleksandar Mitrovic.

The Brazillian was judged to have pushed his head into the Serbian, however his crimson card was later rescinded and he didn’t serve a suspension.

The referee on the day was Michael Oliver, with Paul Tierney on VAR.

It capped a rotten night time for Steven Gerrard, who was sacked later that night after his 10-man facet fell to a 3-0 defeat to the Cottagers.

11
Henderson penalty incident vs Brentford

5 November 2022: Nottingham Forest 2-2 Brentford

Brentford ahead Yoane Wissa rounded Forest’s goalkeeper Dean Henderson however fluffed his traces and didn’t convert.

Nonetheless, VAR deemed the United loanee to have introduced down the fast-moving Wissa and subsequently awarded the penalty, which Bryan Mbeumo scored.

Henderson’s arm remained nearly nonetheless within the motion and it appeared the Bees ahead bumped into it fairly than a cynical foul.

Steve Cooper stated after the match: “My feeling on the penalties and VAR is, if the one he is given in opposition to us is a penalty, then he has to present 4 within the recreation.”

The referee on the day was Andre Marriner, with Lee Mason as soon as once more on VAR.

10
Mitchell personal aim disallowed vs Crystal Palace

3 September 2022: Newcastle United 0-0 Crystal Palace

Newcastle thought they’d taken the lead after Palace left-back Tyrick Mitchell turned the ball into the again of his personal internet. However VAR intervened and dominated the aim out.

Eagles ‘keeper Vicente Guaita discovered himself on the deck after Joe Willock collided into him, nevertheless, replays confirmed that it was Mitchell who pushed the Newcastle participant into his keeper.

The referee, who was beneficial to the onfield monitor, clearly missed the push as he centered on the contact made between Willock and Guaita.

It was a recreation that ended goalless, which made it even tougher to abdomen for Eddie Howe’s facet. The Newcastle boss gave his ideas on the controversial choice after the match.

“I disagree with the choice. I assumed it must be a aim. I assumed Joe was pushed. He’s working in and is pushed into the keeper. I’m not positive what Joe is meant to do there. For me it’s a completely good aim,” Howe stated.

The referee on the day was Michael Salisbury, with Lee Mason on VAR.

9
Romero pulls Cucurella’s hair vs Tottenham Hotspur

14 August 2022: Chelsea 2-2 Tottenham Hotspur

Chelsea’s left-back Marc Cucurella had his hair pulled by Spurs centre-back Cristian Romero as a nook kick got here into the field. It was checked by VAR, however fairly surprisingly, they determined in opposition to taking motion.

The legal guidelines of the sport don’t identify hair pulling as a foul, not to mention violent conduct, so it’s all the way down to the referee and VAR’s judgement, who on this event noticed no wrongdoing.

The Chelsea defender spoke in regards to the incident post-match, saying: “For me, it’s too clear within the recreation, on the pitch. I did not see it on the TV, the video. I believe it’s totally clear, however that is one error of the referee or VAR.”

Thomas Tuchel additionally vented his frustrations on the VAR blunder: “Since when can we pull hair in a soccer match? They checked and nothing occurred — completely ridiculous,” the Blues boss stated.

It seems the foundations might have including to…

Anthony Taylor was the referee on the day, with Mike Dean on VAR.

8
Digne handball vs Crystal Palace

20 August 2022: Crystal Palace 3-1 Aston Villa

Villa’s Lucas Digne was adjudged to have dealt with the ball inside his personal penalty space after Marc Guehi’s header struck his arm at shut vary.

It wasn’t initially awarded as a penalty by the on-field referee, however VAR intervened and awarded the South Londoners the spot kick.

It was fully unintentional by Digne, who was leaping naturally to try to head the ball clear. Guehi’s header travelled all of 1 to 2 yards earlier than it struck the Frenchman’s arm, leaving him little to no likelihood of shifting it out of the way in which as he started to land again on his toes.

The choice was later deemed incorrect by the aforementioned unbiased panel, however that did not compensate Villa for the aim they conceded consequently…

The referee on the day was Andy Madley, with John Brooks on VAR.

7
Cornet disallowed aim vs Chelsea

3 September 2022: Chelsea 2-1 West Ham United

The Hammers thought they’d clinched a Ninetieth-minute equaliser when Maxwell Cornet fired house a well-struck shot, however a highly-controversial VAR choice ensued, because the aim was disallowed.

Within the build-up, Jarrod Bowen was deemed to have fouled Chelsea shot-stopper, Edouard Mendy, however replays confirmed solely the slightest little bit of contact.

David Moyes was left seething post-match. “It’s a scandalous choice, completely rotten from one of many supposedly elite referees,” the Irons supervisor stated.

The ruled-out aim sunk West Ham into the underside three consequently.

The referee on the day was Andy Madley, with Jarred Gillett on VAR obligation.

6
Toney aim vs Arsenal

11 February 2023: Arsenal 1-1 Brentford

Ivan Toney’s 74th-minute equaliser wrongfully stood after VAR failed to attract the proper offside traces. The officers had been centered on whether or not a block from Ethan Pinnock on Gabriel amounted to an offside.

Nonetheless, they didn’t study Christian Norgaard, who was in an offside place when he delivered the ball for Toney to move house into an empty internet.

Mikel Arteta stated after the sport: “I simply checked out it again and it’s offside. We’ll in all probability be given an evidence later within the week however in the present day we have not obtained any.

“It is too late, the aim was allowed, we dropped two factors.”

This led to Lee Mason truly leaving his place at PGMOL.

One other blunder that swayed the ultimate consequence…

5
Sasa Kalajdzic penalty incident vs Manchester United

14 August 2023: Manchester United 1-0 Wolves

Wolves ahead Sasa Kalajdzic was clattered into by Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana within the pair’s Premier League opener final month.

Regardless of a VAR verify, Onana’s stoppage-time problem was not deemed to warrant a penalty, leaving Gary O’Neil seething after his facet fell to a 1-0 defeat.

The Wolves boss admitted in his post-match press convention that the PGMOL’s Jonathan Moss apologised for the error. Howard Webb, PGMOL Chief, provided additional perception into the poor choice.

“I believe from the outset I need to say that ought to have led to an intervention by VAR,” Webb stated. “We should always have seen a video evaluation being beneficial and the referee ought to have gone to the display. I’m assured he would have seen the photographs that we’ve seen and would have awarded a penalty.”

4
Wissa penalty incident vs Nottingham Forest

1 October 2023: Nottingham Forest 1-1 Brentford

Sunday’s fixture on the Metropolis Floor between Nottingham Forest and Brentford noticed one other VAR clanger. Bees ahead Yoane Wissa was blatantly introduced down by Forest keeper Matt Turner within the penalty space however the play continued and not using a verify, extremely.

Maybe most tellingly, Turner admitted he was relieved that VAR did not intervene: “I used to be a bit of bit nervous however I attempted to carry again as a lot as I might as a result of I knew he was going to win it. I’m glad VAR didn’t intervene as a result of that might have made issues go from dangerous to worse for me.”

Brentford ended up drawing the sport and Thomas Frank was left angered by the controversial choice.

3
Udogie & Romero escape stonewall reds vs Chelsea

sixth November 2023: Tottenham Hotspur 1-4 Chelsea

Chelsea ran away 4-1 victors on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after the hosts had been lowered to 9 males. Vice-captain Cristian Romero was proven a crimson card for a excessive and forceful problem on Enzo Fernández within the penalty space – which resulted in Cole Palmer scoring from the spot.

Future Udogie was later given his marching orders 9 minutes into the second half after mistiming a deal with on the speedy Raheem Sterling, thus selecting up a second yellow card and a crimson.

Although, in all honesty, each Romero and Udogie might’ve been proven crimson playing cards for earlier incidents, which had been dismissed by the referee, Michael Oliver and VAR.

Firstly, Udogie’s lunging two-footed problem within the nineteenth minute resulted in solely a reserving, which was actually a lenient punishment. Replays confirmed that the Italian made minimal contact, fortunately, which maybe saved him from receiving a harsher sanction.

And simply three minutes later, Romero kicked out at Levi Colwill off the ball, however VAR opted in opposition to recommending a crimson card, deeming it petulant fairly than violent.

2
Bruno Guimarães’ violent swing vs Arsenal

4 November 2023: Newcastle United 1-0 Arsenal

Arsenal had been dealt their first defeat of the season as Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United edged an electrifying encounter on Tyneside.

The bodily affair contained a number of controversial choices, with Bruno Guimarães’ forearm swing to the pinnacle of Jorginho being a specific speaking level.

VAR had a protracted take a look at the Brazillian’s thumping hit, however extremely, determined in opposition to a crimson card – not even an on-field evaluation was beneficial.

Sky Sports activities’ co-commentator Gary Neville labelled Guimarães a ‘fortunate boy’: “That is not good. He is obtained away with it. VAR had a protracted, lengthy take a look at it. I believe he is having a fortunate boy. I am not having that.”

1
Luis Diaz’s disallowed aim vs Tottenham Hotspur

30 September 2023: Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Liverpool

Not that you just’d put it previous them, VAR would do properly to outdo themselves, right here. Luis Diaz thought he’d put his facet 1-0 to the nice in opposition to the high-flying Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday earlier than the linesman flagged for offside.

Nonetheless, replays confirmed that the Columbian was onside however VAR didn’t intervene, which has now been described as a human error.

Following Liverpool’s contentious 2-1 defeat, PGMOL launched an announcement acknowledging the error, which learn: “PGMOL acknowledge a big human error occurred through the first half of Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool.

“The aim by Luiz Diaz was disallowed for offside by the on-field crew of match officers. This was a transparent and apparent factual error and will have resulted within the aim being awarded via VAR intervention, nevertheless, the VAR didn’t intervene.

“PGMOL will conduct a full evaluation into the circumstances which led to the error.”