Everton had every right to continue their dissatisfaction after Saturday’s game was marred by VAR controversy.
This technology, which debuted in the Premier League during the 2019/20 season, has a brief and ugly history with the sport. Unfortunately, its implementation ensures that no matter how much criticism it receives, it cannot be reversed. It’s here to stay, so players and fans can only hope that those in charge make the correct judgments. Unfortunately, that was not the case when Everton hosted Newcastle United.
The Premier League released VAR footage of Everton’s penalty claim. After the visitors had already been awarded one penalty, which Jordan Pickford saved in the first half, the Toffees believed they were deserved one in return as the second half progressed. After all, Dominic Calvert-Lewin was about to tap into an open net after Nick Pope parried his original effort if not for Dan Burn’s last-ditch intervention. Throwing his body between man and ball, he definitely took out the striker, yet it was somehow determined that the Everton player kicked the defender.
So there was no punishment. The Premier League has published VAR footage from Everton’s match in an attempt to clarify their decision, but this hasn’t alleviated resentment. In it, the man on VAR informs Craig Pawson, ‘It’s been checked and cleared. Checked and cleared. Check complete, check complete.The defender puts his foot in front, and the attacker kicks the defender’s back. ‘No penalty. However, he overlooked one essential point, rendering that suggestion outdated.
VAR missed important details in Everton against Newcastle United. It appears that, in their rush to make this decision, VAR overlooked one critical point that would have undoubtedly overturned its verdict. This season, efforts were announced to increase trust in referee decisions in an effort to avoid undermining them via VAR. However, on this occasion, both he and the technology reached the same absurd conclusion, failing to remember that Burn had entered the challenge with no intention of playing the ball.
His desperate lunge misses it entirely, instead causing him to enter Calvert-Lewin’s space. On paper, he may have kicked the defender’s leg, but there is so much background to analyze before fully explaining why that should have resulted in an Everton penalty. If Burn is not going for the ball and instead disrupts the active player, surely it is a foul? It’s also worth remembering that Stephen Warnock and Sue Smith believed Everton should have had a penalty against Newcastle United. At this moment, with each passing game week, the Premier League and VAR only worsen their reputation.
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