The Premier League has demanded a review into the way the video assistant referee system is used in the English top flight after a weekend of shambolic decision making left fans fuming.
According to , refereeing body the PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Ltd) has privately accepted that significant mistakes were made in the sixth round of Premier League fixtures on Saturday, when both United and had goals ruled out after a VAR intervention despite both seeming to have been valid to the vast majority of spectators.
defender Tyrick Mitchells’s own goal against Newcastle United was ruled out, costing them a potential win, for a foul by midfielder Joe Willock on Eagles’ ‘keeper Vicente Guaita, despite replays clearly showing Mitchell pushed Willock into his team-mate.
West Ham, meanwhile, had a goal against at Stamford Bridge chalked off after goalkeeper seemed to feign injury in a challenge with Jarrod Bowen.
Subsequent VAR decision to disallow goals from Phillipe Coutinho for Aston Villa against Manchester City, Alexis McAllister for Brighton & Hove Albion against Leicester City, and Gabriel Martinelli for Arsenal away at Manchester United may have been less clear cut, but also provoked huge controversy.
The report says that the Premier League request focuses on the West Ham and Newcastle incidents, with chiefs demanding the PGMOL explains why both goals were ruled out. The PGMOL has promised to co-operate.
The Premier League is said to be determined that interventions to rule out goals should only be made when there can be no doubt a call to overrule the original decision of the on-field referee, and is concerned about its reputation being damaged by inconsistent and often nonsensical officiating.
VAR was introduced in the Premier League in time for the 2019/20 season, but has not led to a reduction in the frequency and ferocity of controversy surrounding refereeing.
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