It has been five years since VAR was introduced in the Premier League, yet the system continues to spark considerable debate. According to the Key Match Incidents (KMI) panel, there were 31 instances of incorrect VAR usage during the 2023-24 season.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In June, Premier League clubs voted 19-1 to retain VAR, following a push from Wolverhampton Wanderers to eliminate it. An independent survey commissioned by the league revealed that four out of five fans support keeping VAR in place.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"I don\u2019t think we managed expectations well in terms of VAR. We knew it was always going to be a situation where it was going to do well on those clear situations, the ones where you think, 'that\u2019s clearly wrong on first view'. We're good at spotting those most of the time,\" the former Premier League referee told the Stick to Football podcast.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"We have this independent panel which has got ex-players on it, and they judge each decision each week, and according to the panel - which is independent from us (PGMOL) - there has only been two VAR errors this season compared to 10 at the same time last year,\" Webb added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
To enhance transparency, the Premier League has begun explaining VAR decisions through a dedicated social media channel. However, the rollout of semi-automated offside technology (SAOT), initially planned for after the October or November international break, has now been postponed until 2025.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"We\u2019ve been better at hitting the mark but that can change and we\u2019re not going to get complacent, but it\u2019s been better. For me, the biggest thing of all is that it\u2019s been quicker. The average delay last season through VAR was 70 seconds per game and this year it\u2019s 25 seconds. It's way better,\" said Webb.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"I said to the guys, 'don\u2019t ponder for too long, if you see a situation that jumps off the screen at you then get involved, but if you\u2019re having to think about it too much and analyse it too many times then just say check complete because we\u2019ll leave it with the referee on the field'. That\u2019s why the term, 'referee\u2019s call' is useful,\" he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
However, Webb was frustrated after Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes was sent off against Tottenham Hotspur last month and VAR failed to intervene in the decision.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Referee Chris Kavanagh issued a straight red card to Fernandes in the 42nd minute for a late challenge on Tottenham's James Maddison. The Portuguese midfielder seemed to make a studs-up challenge, but replays revealed that he actually made contact with the side of his boot.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
VAR officials Peter Bankes and Simon Long did not overturn the decision because they mistakenly believed it did not meet the criteria for an on-field review.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"We released the audio, you can hear the assistant referee - who's got a good view of it - just saying 'that looks awful, 100% red (card) for me',\" said Webb.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"From his angle it looked it, because it looks like the studs have gone in. But then there's another angle shown on the replay on Sky Sports. Straight away I've gone 'that'll be an overturn', but it wasn't. I was frustrated that we didn't step in to rectify it because it was clearly wrong in my opinion. He slipped, he tried to trip him but it was the side of the foot and he didn't drive the studs in. If he had then it would have been a red card,\" he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"We released the audio, you can hear the assistant referee - who's got a good view of it - just saying 'that looks awful, 100% red (card) for me',\" said Webb.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
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