The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system sparks debate every week in the Premier League. How are decisions made, and do they stand up to scrutiny?
This season, we will analyze major incidents to clarify both the VAR protocols and the relevant Laws of the Game.
Screenshot credit: NBC
Andy Davies (@andydaviesref) is a former Select Group referee with over 12 seasons on the elite list, officiating in the Premier League and Championship. With his extensive experience at the highest level, he has operated within the VAR system in the Premier League, providing valuable insights into the processes, reasoning, and protocols used on a matchday.
Fulham 2-2 Liverpool
Referee: Craig Pawson
VAR: Andrew Madley
Time: 57 minutes
Incident: Florian Wirtz’s goal was overturned due to an offside call.
What happened: Wirtz received a through ball in the Fulham penalty area and scored expertly past goalkeeper Bernd Leno, only for assistant referee Lee Betts to flag him offside.
VAR decision/review: After a thorough review, VAR examined the initial no-goal call and determined that Wirtz was actually onside before recommending the goal be awarded.
Verdict: To the naked eye, it appeared that Wirtz had indeed been offside, leading many to agree with the assistant’s decision. Even still TV images suggested offside was the correct ruling.
However, the advent of Semi-Automated Offside Technology (SAOT) provided a different outcome.
Initially, VAR operated with human intervention drawing lines manually. But since the final matches of the 2024-25 season, SAOT has taken over, analyzing player positions using tracking data rather than relying on live footage, aiming to enhance accuracy and speed during critical moments.
#FULLIV – 57′ VAR OVERTURN
VAR reviewed the on-field no-goal decision and confirmed Wirtz was onside, recommending the goal be awarded. pic.twitter.com/AA3eq6pT9j
— Premier League Match Centre (@PLMatchCentre) January 4, 2026
However, the Premier League’s process includes unique aspects compared to many European leagues and the UEFA Champions League (UCL).
Firstly, the Premier League employs a version of Genius Sports’ SAOT technology (also used in Belgium, Mexico, and Brazil), differing from the systems in place in UCL and various major European leagues. In these leagues, offside positions are measured with millimeter precision, while the Premier League permits a tolerance of 5 centimeters.
This tolerance theoretically reduces marginal offside calls against attacking teams, fostering more goals, which was a significant concern when VAR was first introduced and lines were drawn so closely.
The situation with Wirtz exemplifies this principle. Under the broader offside band utilized by Premier League standards, Wirtz was considered onside. However, in a UCL scenario, adhering to stricter guidelines without a 5 cm margin, he would have likely been ruled offside, resulting in the disallowed goal.
Even with SAOT in play, there remains a human component when VAR scrutinizes marginal offside calls, which contributed to the lengthy review process in this case.
The SAOT system identifies the “Kick Point” (the moment the ball is played forward) before reaching Wirtz, but the VAR must confirm his satisfaction with this finding. In some cases, they may request adjustments by a micro-frame.
This critical aspect of the process likely contributed to the delay, as the VAR appeared uncertain if the initial assessment was appropriate.