Video Assistant Referee causes controversy every week in the Premier League, but how are decisions made, and are they correct?
After each weekend we take a look at the major incidents, to examine and explain the process both in terms of VAR protocol and the Laws of the Game.
In this week’s VAR review: Should Bruno Fernandes’ red card against Tottenham Hotspur have been rescinded? And should Newcastle United’s penalty against Manchester City have been overturned?
What happened: James Maddison was on the ball in the 42nd minute and looked to turn Bruno Fernandes. Maddison got past the Manchester United player, who then stuck out a leg to bring him down. Referee Chris Kavanagh produced a red card for serious foul play, which was checked by the VAR, Peter Bankes.
VAR decision: Red card stands.
VAR review: Fernandes slipped as he first looked to challenge Maddison, but this isn’t really valid in assessing the tackle. The slip might have caused Fernandes to adjust the way he was making the challenge, but it wasn’t purely a slip into the Tottenham player — the boot was raised after the slip a desperate lunging action, not a direct result of it.
However, that doesn’t change the fact that this should have been a VAR review to downgrade red to yellow.
For Kavanagh and especially his assistant, who was flagging furiously as Maddison went down, you can see why they went for a red card. Fernandes went in high at around shin height, had no prospect of playing the ball and at first looked like it was cynical with studs into the opponent.
Yet once different camera angles were shown, it became clear that Fernandes had not led with, or made any contact with his studs, and there was low force. It was a glancing blow with the outside of his boot.
The high bar for intervention can cause the VAR to find ways to support the on-field decision, when there is clear evidence of a mistake. This feels like one of those occasions. The VAR has stuck with the red card due to the general nature of the lunge rather than the resulting contact.
Missed VAR interventions was the Premier League’s big issue last season with 26 errors, but so far the Key Match Incidents Panel hasn’t logged a single mistake. That will surely change with the Fernandes red, which should have been changed.
Earlier this season, Manchester United were the beneficiaries when Southampton’s Jack Stephens was sent off for a knee-high tackle on Alejandro Garnacho. You can argue there are similarities to back up the Fernandes red, as there was minimal contact, but there was a clear lead with the studs into the opponent, and much higher too.
United will surely appeal Fernandes’ suspension and have a high chance of success, though it really does depend which three ex-players you get on the disciplinary commission.
There was probably a greater argument for a red card for Manchester City’s Mateo Kovacic for his lunging tackle on Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali with no prospect of playing the ball, or Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Carlos Forbs for raking down the Achilles of Andrew Robertson. Both of these challenges were given as yellow cards on the field, but there was no likelihood of being upgraded with how VAR works in England.
Red cards for serious foul play have always been pretty inconsistent in the Premier League. With referees told to allow a higher level of physicality than you’d get in the other top European leagues, there are plenty of examples of “orange” challenges, which might be a red in Italy or Spain but result in a yellow in the English game.
That’s not to say the Premier League does it better, as there’s a clear argument that a lower threshold for serious foul play is better for player welfare. And this weekend was no different on that front.
From a collection of late challenges, with no prospect of playing the ball, Fernandes was the only player to see red.
What happened: Marcus Rashford delivered a cross into the area in the 60th minute, the ball came off Garnacho and then hit the arm of Cristian Romero. United’s players appealed for a penalty, which were waved away by the referee.
VAR decision: No penalty.
VAR review: Romero had his arm close to his side and he was trying to move it away when it was hit by the ball.
What happened: Anthony Gordon broke through the centre in the 56th minute and went to ground under a challenge from Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson. Referee Jarred Gillett pointed to the spot and produced the yellow card. Was there a foul? And if so, should Ederson have been sent off?
VAR decision: Penalty stands, scored by Gordon. No red card.
VAR review: There was contact from Ederson’s glove on the left boot of Gordon, so the VAR, Stuart Attwell, wasn’t going to get involved to reverse the spot kick. And as Ederson was making an attempt to play the ball before Gordon nudged it past him, it can only be a yellow card for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity inside the area.
An attacker has no responsibility to avoid contact from an opponent. While a decision such as this may seem a little soft, an attacker has every right to use the momentum of the challenge coming directly into him. It’s different from initiating contact when a player moves a foot into an opponent to force the impression of a foul.
What happened: From the resulting free kick for the foul on Tonali, Newcastle pumped a long ball toward the Manchester City box, and it was flicked on to put Joelinton through. The Brazilian was bundled over by Kyle Walker, but referee Gillett ignored the penalty claims.
VAR decision: No penalty.
VAR review: It’s a strange challenge by Walker, who puts his leg across Joelinton to prevent him getting to the ball, rather than attempt to play it.
Walker is very fortunate because if the referee gives this as a penalty then there’s no chance it gets overturned. It’s the kind of situation that the KMI Panel hasn’t tended to view as a mistake.