Premier League refereeing body admit two major VAR errors

Premier League’s refereeing body admits they got two major VAR calls WRONG this weekend… with an investigation to take place after West Ham and Newcastle seemingly had two good goals wiped out

• The Premier League’s refereeing body have said they got two major calls wrong 
• VAR was incorrect to intervene and disallow goals for West Ham and Newcastle
• David Moyes said disallowing Maxwel Cornet’s goal at Chelsea was ‘scandalous’ 
• Newcastle had a goal ruled out for a foul by Joe Willock on Vicente Guaita
• VAR was criticised for both instances, as neither appeared clear and obvious

The Premier League’s refereeing body have admitted they got two major calls wrong on a weekend of madness that saw VAR reviews blight the action on the field.

The top flight will investigate incidents that saw seemingly good goals chalked off for West Ham and Newcastle, while PGMOL are understood to have acknowledged privately that the VAR interventions to disallow the goals were incorrect. The refereeing body will cooperate with the Premier League after their request to review the two incidents, and use them to educate officials.

West Ham manager David Moyes, who has avoided punishment from the FA for his post-match criticism, described the decision to disallow Maxwel Cornet’s late equaliser at Chelsea as ‘scandalous’ and ‘rotten’. Referee Andy Madley originally gave the goal, then performed a U-turn after being sent to his pitch-side monitor by VAR Jarred Gillett to study Jarrod Bowen’s coming-together with Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.

West Ham boss David Moyes was left fuming after his side were denied a late goal at Chelsea

Similarly, Newcastle had a goal ruled out by VAR that appeared a seemingly fair goal

Sharing Moyes’s fury after their 2-1 defeat, West Ham midfielder Declan Rice said it was ‘up there with one of the worst VAR decisions made since it’s come into the game’.

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe was not as scathing as Moyes or Rice after his team’s potential winner, via a Tyrick Mitchell own goal, was ruled out for a foul by Joe Willock on Crystal Palace goalkeeper Vicente Guaita. Replays showed Willock was pushed into Guaita by Mitchell in the build-up, though VAR Lee Mason told referee Michael Salisbury to visit his monitor, where he overturned his original decision and disallowed the goal.

Alan Shearer blasted it as ‘shocking, abysmal, disgraceful’ after Newcastle’s 0-0 draw, adding on Match of the Day: ‘Minimum interference, maximum benefit is what we were told when VAR was brought in and this decision is as bad as you are going to see.’

Referee Michael Salisbury was told to consult his monitor by VAR before making a decision

VAR was heavily criticised for getting involved in both instances, as neither appeared to be a clear and obvious error.

This season, a weekly report is sent to clubs regarding key incidents which occurred in their matches. These are studied by an independent panel, made up of a PGMOL and Premier League representative, as well as three former players.

The Premier League’s review of the controversial calls at Stamford Bridge and St James’ Park is separate to that process.

Elsewhere, Leeds manager Jesse Marsch was sent to the stands after complaining that his team were not awarded a penalty at Brentford, who opened the scoring with a spot-kick of their own. Everton boss Frank Lampard also insisted Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk should have been sent off for a nasty challenge on Amadou Onana in the Merseyside derby, while Alexis Mac Allister had a goal-of-the-season candidate ruled out for Brighton after a close offside call that took five minutes to determine.

Leeds boss Jesse Marsch was sent off after complaining that his side weren’t given a penalty

These controversies overshadowed any good officiating over the weekend, including that by Michael Oliver, who awarded Nottingham Forest a penalty against Bournemouth and was sent to his monitor by VAR Graham Scott. Rather than reverse his call, Oliver rightly stood by his original decision to give the spot-kick.

As well as taking aim at the officials, Moyes accused Mendy of feigning injury to force the officials into a decision. The keeper stayed down after Bowen’s foot had dragged over him before Cornet scored.

‘He acted as if he had a shoulder injury,’ the West Ham manager said. ‘I’m amazed that VAR sent the referee to see it. It was a ridiculously bad decision.

‘I’d question VAR as much as the referee, but the referee should have stuck to his guns. There is no excuse, none whatsoever.’

The FA are awaiting the match officials’ report before deciding whether to charge Moyes for confronting Madley on the pitch and in the referees’ room.

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