The video assistant referee (VAR) creates controversy in the Premier League each week. How are these decisions made, and are they accurate?
This season, we will analyze significant incidents to clarify the VAR process, as well as the relevant Laws of the Game.
Andy Davies (@andydaviesref), a former Select Group referee with over 12 seasons of experience in high-level competitions, including the Premier League and Championship, provides valuable insights into the VAR protocols on matchdays.
Referee: Farai Hallam
VAR: Darren England
Time: 37 minutes
Incident: Potential handball by Wolves defender Yerson Mosquera
What happened: Man City player Omar Marmoush drove toward the Wolves defender but his shot appeared to hit Mosquera’s outstretched arm. Referee Hallam allowed play to continue.
VAR Decision: After a prolonged review, VAR Darren England concluded that Mosquera’s left arm was in an unnatural position and suggested that Hallam check the monitor for a potential penalty due to handball. However, Hallam, officiating his first Premier League match, ultimately upheld his original decision that there was no handball.
Verdict / Insight: It’s quite rare for a referee to consult the monitor and reaffirm their initial call, and Hallam did so with significant conviction on his Premier League debut.
Hallam became the first referee this season to maintain his initial decision after a VAR review, sparking discussion about the appropriateness of the outcome.
In my view, VAR made the right call. The evidence clearly indicates that Mosquera had his arm in an unnatural position when the ball struck it.
The defender’s arm was initially in a normal position until City attacker Marmoush deflected the ball backward, causing Mosquera’s arm to extend outwards, away from his body.
This incident aligns with the criteria for a handball offense:
• A player’s arm/hand is considered to make their body unnaturally bigger when its position is not a result of or justifiable by their body movement in that specific context. Raising their arm in such a manner increases the risk of being penalized if the ball makes contact.
Although there will be discussions surrounding Hallam’s bold decision to stick to his original call, the priority is that the officiating team ultimately achieved the correct outcome. According to current interpretations of handball offenses, this should have resulted in a penalty award.