VAR’s Decision to Stay Out of Liverpool-Man City Match: Explained
The recent 1-1 draw between Liverpool and Manchester City left fans divided, as a potential late penalty for Liverpool was not awarded. Referees’ chief Howard Webb has shed light on the decision of the video assistant referee (VAR) to stay out of the controversial moment. According to Webb, VAR Stuart Attwell made the right call to not interfere, as there was no clear-and-obvious situation.
The incident occurred in the final seconds of the match when City winger Jeremy Doku caught Alexis Mac Allister with a high boot in the penalty area. On-field referee Michael Oliver did not award a penalty, and VAR Attwell agreed with the decision. Webb explained that if Oliver had given the penalty, VAR would have reviewed and confirmed it. However, since Oliver did not award the penalty, VAR considered it a subjective situation and chose to stay out of it.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and Mac Allister both believed that their side should have been awarded a penalty. However, Webb emphasized that VAR followed the correct course by not getting involved. He stated that the feedback received from people within the game indicated that the incident was subjective and split opinions.
Webb also mentioned previous VAR decisions involving Liverpool, highlighting a penalty that should have been given in their draw against Arsenal in December and a wrongly ruled out goal in a defeat against Tottenham. These instances show the challenges faced by VAR in making accurate decisions.
In another match, West Ham’s 1-1 draw with Aston Villa saw a controversial goal disallowed by VAR. Tomas Soucek appeared to score a late winner after the ball hit teammate Jarrod Bowen before going into the net. Referee Jarred Gillett initially awarded the goal, but after a lengthy VAR check, it was disallowed for a Soucek handball.
Webb analyzed the sequence of events and explained the complexity of the situation. He stated that if VAR had found an angle showing the ball hitting Bowen’s arm, they could have quickly recommended disallowing the goal. However, since they couldn’t find that angle, they focused on Soucek and discovered the handball. This led to the question of whether it was deliberate or not, requiring the referee to review the incident on a screen. Webb acknowledged that such situations take more time due to the deliberation required.
In the same match, Villa winger Leon Bailey’s cross struck the arm of West Ham left-back Emerson Palmieri. Despite the defender’s arm being away from his body, VAR did not overturn the on-field decision, leaving fans divided once again. Webb believed that penalizing Palmieri in this situation would have been harsh.
Another incident that went against West Ham occurred in their 2-2 draw with Burnley. The Hammers were denied a penalty after Sander Berge’s hand made contact with the ball. Webb clarified that according to the laws of the game, if a player plays the ball onto their own arm, it cannot be considered a handball offense unless there is a secondary action moving the arm into the ball.
Webb also discussed a red card decision made in a match between Crystal Palace and Burnley. Josh Brownhill was sent off for bringing down Jefferson Lerma, denying a clear goalscoring opportunity. Webb explained that when determining a denial of a goalscoring opportunity, four elements are considered: whether the play was moving towards goal, the distance from goal, possession or control of the ball by the attacking player, and the location of other defenders. In this case, all four elements were present, justifying the red card.
Lastly, Webb analyzed a red card decision in a match between Aston Villa and Tottenham. John McGinn received a red card for a late tackle on Spurs left-back Destiny Udogie. Webb noted that McGinn’s action had excessive force or brutality, meeting the criteria for a red card.
These incidents demonstrate the challenges faced by VAR and the subjectivity involved in decision-making. While fans may disagree on certain calls, Webb believes that VAR has followed the correct protocols in these situations. The analysis provided by Webb offers insights into the reasoning behind VAR’s decisions and provides a better understanding of the complexities involved in refereeing modern football matches.