VAR: Premier League fans of Newcastle, Everton and Crystal Palace left fuming by continuing mess

In June, clubs voted overwhelmingly in favour of keeping video assistant referee technology despite some unpopular calls since its introduction in 2019. Several improvements were suggested in the hope of changing fans’ opinions about the technology - but after the first nine fixtures of the 2024/25 campaign, several incidents left crowds unimpressed.

Red flags

One of the situations where VAR is supposed to help prevent refereeing errors is the issuing of red cards - but many Newcastle and Arsenal fans felt it didn’t do its job this weekend.

Though Newcastle held out for a 1-0 victory over newly promoted Southampton, their job was made significantly harder by Fabian Schär’s dismissal in the first half. The centre back was sent packing for having apparently headbutted Ben Brereton Díaz, who crashed theatrically to the ground. Replays revealed there was perhaps less contact than Brereton Díaz’s reaction suggested, but the referee’s original call stood and Schär is now set to miss three matches.

Manager Eddie Howe said: “I think it’s really harsh on Fabby (Fabian Schär) but I think we all know that you can’t give the referee the possibility to even give the red card.”

Arsenal fans, on the other hand, were outraged by what they saw as VAR’s failure to step in and recommend a red against Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Yerson Mosquera. After opening the scoring in the first half, Gunners striker Kai Havertz had a shock not long into the second when locking horns with Mosquera. The two became entangled before falling to the ground, where replays showed Mosquera appearing to grab Havertz’s throat and push him down.

Supporters were nonplussed that a review by the video assistant referee resulted in no further action. Mosquera drew attention later in the game by seeming to grab Gabriel Jesus’ behind, with the Arsenal man booked for his reaction

Penalty decisions cause frustration

Everton manager Sean Dyche criticised VAR this weekend after his side had a penalty overturned in their 3-0 defeat to Brighton. With the game finely balanced at 1-0, referee Simon Hooper originally pointed to the spot when Dominic Calvert-Lewin went to ground in the box, leading the Toffees to think they had a route back into the game. But a review on the pitchside monitor saw it overturned as the Everton man’s foot had actually landed on Lewis Dunk’s foot.

Dyche protested after the match: “We go to these meetings and we have just been told the bar is going to be incredibly high now for the referee to make a decision. He makes a clear decision, he has a perfect viewing point, and lo and behold is called over to overturn the decision. What is the point in having that high bar then?

“That is contact in the box and we have all seen the tiniest - someone treads on a toe and they give a penalty. So I think we are all confused by it.”

At the London Stadium, the so-called ‘high bar’ for a referee’s decision to be overturned worked the opposite way. West Ham’s Tomáš Souček went to ground in the first half after a challenge from Aston Villa player Matty Cash, with the referee awarding a penalty. Despite Cash’s protests, and replays apparently showing he had got a touch on the ball, the original call stood and Lucas Paquetá slotted the spot kick home for the Hammers to cancel out Amadou Onana’s opener. Jhon Durán eventually found the net in the 79th minute to win the game for Aston Villa, but many were still unimpressed by the earlier officiating.

‘Nightmare’ decision as Eze goal disallowed

Perhaps the worst error of the weekend was one where VAR couldn’t intervene at all. England star Eberechi Eze put a fantastic freekick in the back of Brentford’s net, thinking he had given his Crystal Palace side the lead in the 26th minute. However, referee Sam Barrott had already blown the whistle by the time the ball went in.

He saw a clash between Palace’s Will Hughes and Brentford’s Nathan Collins, awarding a freekick to Brentford - but Eze said Barrott later admitted he had made a mistake in blowing the whistle so early. Fans were infuriated that VAR couldn’t intervene because the whistle went before the ball hit the net - with Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp describing the decision to halt play so quickly as a “monumental mistake”. Brentford went on to win the game 2-1.

None of these decisions were helped much by the Premier League’s new ‘Match Centre’ X account. The page provides live updates clarifying refereeing and VAR decisions in an attempt to make the process more transparent for fans - but it’s already sparked derision and criticism, with fans arguing most of its posts simply repeat the obvious rather than providing the rationale behind the decision.

It’s already been a busy weekend for the new Match Centre account - and with the season barely underway, there will surely be more controversial decisions to come.