The Premier League has once again been dominated by controversy surrounding video assistant referee (VAR) decisions, with several high-profile calls sparking fury from managers and players. Burnley and Fulham were the latest clubs to find themselves on the wrong end of contentious rulings that have reignited the debate about VAR’s role in the modern game.
At Old Trafford, Burnley manager Scott Parker accused VAR of stripping the sport of its passion after his side’s agonising 3-2 defeat to Manchester United. The decisive moment came deep into stoppage time when Jaidon Anthony was penalised for pulling Amad Diallo’s shirt. Referee Sam Barrott initially waved play on, but VAR Stuart Attwell instructed him to review the incident on the pitchside monitor. After a lengthy delay, Barrott awarded a penalty which Bruno Fernandes converted to clinch victory for United.
Parker was left furious at the process. “It’s the way the game has gone – quadruple checking everything every minute,” he told BBC Match of the Day. “On the field, the referee didn’t give the foul. Then we’ve re-reffed it. It’s not the ref, it’s a fella 200 miles away in a box.”
Burnley’s sense of injustice had already been fuelled earlier in the match when striker Lyle Foster had a goal ruled out for a fractional offside. Semi-automated technology deemed his arm marginally ahead of Diogo Dalot, a call so tight that even television replays struggled to show a clear advantage. “We’re probably months or a year away from not celebrating goals at all,” Parker warned.
Former England defender Stephen Warnock acknowledged that Anthony’s shirt pull was technically a foul but questioned the impact of such drawn-out reviews. “It took four minutes to get the decision out – that kills the emotion of football,” he said.
The drama in Manchester was mirrored in west London, where Fulham left Stamford Bridge feeling equally aggrieved after their 2-0 defeat to Chelsea. The flashpoint came in the first half when teenager Josh King appeared to have scored his first Premier League goal, only for VAR Michael Salisbury to intervene. Rodrigo Muniz was adjudged to have fouled Trevoh Chalobah in the build-up, prompting referee Rob Jones to overturn the goal after checking the monitor.
Fulham boss Marco Silva was incensed. “Unbelievable decision,” he told TNT Sports. “I prefer not to say more because I would be punished.”
Former Fulham midfielder Danny Murphy labelled the call “bizarre,” arguing that Muniz had simply used skill to shield the ball. “They described it as a challenge, but there was no challenge for the ball – it was just a bit of contact,” Murphy said.
Fulham’s frustration grew when Chelsea were awarded a penalty in stoppage time after Ryan Sessegnon handled a cross. Enzo Fernandez converted from the spot, though not before VAR spent several minutes checking for a potential handball by Joao Pedro earlier in the move.
The weekend’s controversies are just the latest in a season already marred by VAR disputes. Liverpool were left baffled on opening day when Bournemouth’s Marco Senesi escaped punishment for what appeared to be a deliberate handball. Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze saw a spectacular free-kick disallowed because teammate Marc Guehi was deemed too close to Chelsea’s defensive wall. Fulham also had cause for complaint last weekend when Manchester United’s Leny Yoro was not penalised for pushing Calvin Bassey before scoring.
“People are really fed up with the forensics of VAR,” Warnock told BBC Final Score. “Every time there’s a goal, we’re asking why they’re still looking for something. The game is going backwards.”
Suggestions for reform are growing louder. Warnock believes ex-players should be integrated into VAR teams to provide a footballer’s perspective. “We know the game, we love the game, and we see things differently. Referees don’t always spot the intricacies,” he argued.
As anger mounts and delays continue to drain the emotion from matches, the Premier League faces mounting pressure to reassess VAR. Brought in to bring clarity, the technology instead finds itself at the centre of the storm, accused of eroding the very joy it was meant to protect.
