After yet more VAR controversy in the Premier League this week, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is right to raise his concerns about the inconsistency of the system.
As Daniel James burst down United’s right flank at Old Trafford, leaving Georginio Wijnaldum trailing his shadow there was outrage on the Liverpool bench.
In the move resulting in James receiving the ball, there had been a clear, unmistakable foul. Swedish centre-back Victor Lindelof had made contact with Divock Origi and tripped him up without touching the ball. The Belgian forward may have gone down softly but it was a foul nonetheless.
Jurgen Klopp was furious on the touchline and when James’ resulting cross ended up with Marcus Rashford tapping the ball into the back of the net, the German went berserk.
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Watching the replays, the Liverpool fans sighed relief. Divock Origi had been fouled. VAR would come to the rescue. It would overturn the decision just as it had been designed to do so.
Yet no such decision came. VAR awarded the goal. The foul was deemed as not entirely ‘obvious’ or ‘clear’ and the game would resume from the centre circle.
It was yet another VAR decision which has brought the new technology into a controversial spotlight.
VAR has come under fire not for the first time this season in the Premier League. Ever since its inception at the beginning of the season, the league has seen inconsistent and absurd decisions being made by the video referees.
Often they would not overturn outright wrongful decisions. Other times they would overturn decisions based on the tightest of margins which could at times be deemed unfair.
The issue with VAR stems from the way it has been implemented in the Premier League. Elsewhere in international football and the Champions League controversies have occurred far less.
In these competitions, the referees frequently use an onside pitch monitor to check their decision has been correct and have the option to overturn their own decisions. In the Premier League this has not been implemented. Decisions are overturned by video referees sitting in offices at the business district of Stockley Park.
Just this week aside from Marcus Rashford’s opener, there were VAR controversies in two other games. In Manchester City’s game against Crystal Palace, Kevin De Bruyne was not awarded a penalty despite the Belgian forward appearing to have been clearly fouled by Wilfried Zaha. And in Burnley’s game against Leicester VAR
Chris Wood’s late equaliser for a soft foul on Leicester defender Johnny Evans.
The foul seemed less blatant than Lindelof’s trip on Origi which raises serious concerns about the consistency of the technology and why referees do not check decisions on pitch-side monitors which has worked well in other competitions.
Jurgen Klopp also raised awareness about the way referees tend to rely on the new VAR technology and refrain from making a decision. Speaking at his press conference after the United game, Klopp said:
"“The process [allows] the ref to make the decision or not because they have VAR. The ref thinks: ‘Let it run – we have VAR.’ But then VAR says it can’t be overruled because it was not clear. How can he say it’s not a foul? I was 100% sure.” (Jurgen Klopp via Jamie Jackson of The Guardian)"
The issue lies with the reluctance of both officials to make a decision. The referee on the pitch feels less pressured to make a controversial decision as in theory he has the support of VAR behind his back.
Yet VAR officials in the video room often have the reluctance to overturn their colleague’s decision or vice versa to overzealously overturn a decision based on the slightest of margins. These officials have no pressure or responsibility behind them and they tend to act as they please.
To ensure consistency, the referees should not only consult with VAR but have the opportunity to look at individual decisions on pitch-side monitors in order to be able to overturn their own mistakes.
Such VAR methods have worked well at the World Cup and the Champions League and it gives the referee on the pitch the power and ability to amend his error rather than a biased colleague.
The Premier League must make amends with their VAR rulings and enable more impartiality. VAR was intended to stop controversy but it has thrown up only more deep-lying issues with the system itself.
Allow the referees to consult and assess their own decisions and own up to their errors of judgement rather than powers from above ruling over the game.
If implemented appropriately VAR has the potential to enable a far more impartial and fair game, but the Premier League must address the underlying issues.