VAR's three worst errors this season as Liverpool hit hardest and Villa benefit

08 February 2024 , 10:18

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Luis Diaz's goal against Tottenham was checked wrongly by VAR (Image: Getty Images)

VAR has made three major blunders this term according to a panel with Liverpool's injustice at Tottenham its most glaring failure.

Luis Diaz saw his strike in north London back in September ruled out for offside, with the VAR then proving that he was in fact onside. Those at Stockley Park though failed to communicate that to the referee and the goal wasn't given - prompting major questions about the video system.

Two years ago the Premier League set up an independent key match incidents panel which reviews decisions and they believe that VAR have got 57 decisions right this term. There have been 20 errors with 17 of those coming as a result of VAR failing to get involved when it should have, reports Sky Sports.

They deem that the system has made three "wrong" decisions when it got involved. The most infamous of those being Diaz's disallowed goal, which prompted Liverpool to suggest the game should be replayed.

The other two errors came as a result of VAR intervening when the panel felt it should've stayed away and let the referee continue with his decision. One of those incidents came when Sander Berge has a goal disallowed for Burnley against Nottingham Forest. The panel felt that goal was incorrectly chalked off for handball after a VAR check.

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The other incident came in Arsenal's win over Manchester United. Anthony Taylor gave a penalty after Kai Havertz was fouled by Aaron Wan-Bissaka before VAR advised the referee to go to the screen and he later changed his mind. The panel felt the system shouldn't have got involved.

Despite accusations that Liverpool favour from VAR, the stats in fact show that, this season, the Reds have been hit the hardest by the system with four errors against them. Wolves and Brighton have also been dealt tough hands, according to ESPN.

Liverpool's Luis Diaz had a goal ruled out by the VAR blunder (Getty Images)

In contrast, Aston Villa have seen the most benefit with three VAR mistakes in their favour. Arsenal, Manchester United, Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest each have two logged errors which have gone their way.

Howard Webb, the PGMOL's chief refereeing officer, has continued to defend VAR publicly and insists the system is a force for good. He has said: "It would be foolish to take away a tool that can remove clear errors from the game - almost 40 this season. Usually we have seen around 100 situations rectified through the use of VAR. Why would you want to take that away and leave those errors in the game?"

Samuel Meade