D-Day for VAR. The case for and against. And why it should be given a chance.
Also Ten Hag's welcome defiance and Manchester United's hope for the future.
“VAR? Either get rid of it or get better.” A directness characterises Anthony Gordon’s observations on the game just as it does the Newcastle United’s winger fleet-footed approach in games. He was speaking to TV after Newcastle’s 3-2 loss at Manchester United where he should have been awarded a penalty following Sofyan Amrabat’s sock-splitting challenge. It was not technology’s fault that the offence was missed; it was the fault of the humans operating VAR. So, get better at it.
The Gordon incident and comments came on the day it was revealed by The Athletic that Premier League clubs would vote on whether to scrap VAR at their summer summit on June 6. D-Day for VAR. Wolverhampton Wanderers are pushing for the change and they need 13 other clubs to agree. Wolves have to convince those clubs who compete in Europe, where VAR tends to work better because they don’t micro-referee as the forensic English schoolmasters do at Stockley Park. Wolves have to convince those executives who have installed extra cameras at considerable cost in their grounds.