Video assistant referee causes controversy every week whether it be the Premier League, Champions League or FA Cup, but how are decisions made and are they correct?
This season, 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.
Andy Davies (@andydaviesref) is a former Select Group referee, with over 12 seasons on the elite list, working across the Premier League and Championship. With extensive experience at the elite level, he has operated within the VAR space in the Premier League and offers a unique insight into the processes, rationale and protocols that are delivered on a Premier League matchday.
Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle United
Referee: Sam Barrott VAR: Jarred Gillett Time: 74 minutes Incident: Possible red card for DOGSO (denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity)
What happened: A ball played over the top of the Newcastle United defence left Arsenal attacker Viktor Gyökeres beyond the last defender, chasing the loose ball. Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope left his area and he too chased the loose ball -- however he slipped, panicked and then illegally held the Arsenal striker, stopping Gyökeres from retrieving the ball. Referee Sam Barrott produced a yellow card deeming the offence did not deny an obvious goal scoring opportunity.
Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope took out Viktor Gyokeres and Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta wanted a red card, but the referee issued only a yellow. David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images VAR decision: The referee's call of yellow card to Pope was checked and confirmed by VAR. They deemed that he did not deny an obvious goal scoring opportunity due to the close proximity of a Newcastle defender, who had the possibility to claim possession of the ball.
VAR review: The on-field decision is always the foundation for all VAR checks, and only when the replays show there has been a clear error in this process will VAR intervene. VAR Jarred Gillett was very comfortable with referee Barrott's interpretation of this situation and cleared the yellow card as a correct decision. Gillett agreed that the circumstances in this incident did not meet any of the criteria for a red card to be issued.
Law 12 criteria: In a possible DOGSO situation, the following must be considered: