Former Manchester United player Gary Neville has expressed his surprise at the decision of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) to overrule referee Anthony Taylor’s call for a penalty in the recent clash between Arsenal and Manchester United. The incident occurred during the first half of the match when Arsenal’s Alexandre Lacazette went down in the penalty area after a challenge from United’s Fred.
Initially, Taylor awarded a penalty to Arsenal, but after consulting with VAR, the decision was reversed. Neville, who was commentating on the game, admitted that he was taken aback by the VAR’s intervention. He believed that there was enough contact from Fred to warrant a penalty, and questioned why VAR did not uphold the original decision.
However, Mike Dean, the VAR official overseeing the game, defended the decision, stating that there was no clear evidence of contact between Fred and Lacazette. Dean explained that VAR is only meant to intervene in clear and obvious errors made by the on-field referees, and in this case, he felt that Taylor’s initial decision was not a clear error.
The incident has sparked a debate about the consistency and effectiveness of VAR in the Premier League. Many fans and pundits have criticized the system for its subjective nature and the lack of transparency in decision-making. Some argue that VAR should have intervened to correct what they perceive as a mistake by Taylor, while others believe that the on-field referee’s decision should be respected.
This is not the first time VAR has come under scrutiny this season. There have been several controversial incidents where VAR decisions have been heavily debated. The introduction of VAR was intended to bring more accuracy and fairness to the game, but it seems to have divided opinions among players, managers, and fans alike.
Despite the criticism, the Premier League has stood by VAR, stating that it is an ongoing process and that improvements will continue to be made. The league believes that VAR has overall improved decision-making and reduced the number of clear errors on the field.
As for the Arsenal vs Manchester United match, the game ended in a 0-0 draw, with neither team able to find the back of the net. The missed penalty call could have had a significant impact on the outcome of the game, but ultimately, both teams had to settle for a point each.
