A former Premier League referee has voiced strong criticism of VAR after Liverpool was denied what many saw as a clear penalty against Chelsea.
He admitted being “simply astounded” by the decision, noting that a similar incident involving Alexander Isak and James was ruled differently, with Galatasaray receiving a penalty for a comparable foul against Liverpool. The inconsistency, he argued, shows that Premier League officiating lacks uniformity in its decisions.
Following the controversy, the Premier League released an explanation for the VAR decision in Liverpool’s clash with Chelsea.
The incident occurred late in the first half when Alejandro Garnacho went down under a challenge from Dominik Szoboszlai, prompting strong penalty appeals that were ultimately dismissed. The league later clarified the reasoning behind the call, stating why Chelsea was not awarded a spot-kick in that moment.
