Soccer

Matthijs de Ligt penalty call headlines 13 Premier League VAR errors

Four interventions were found to be incorrect, while VARs were felt to have missed nine opportunities where they should have intervened.

A controversial penalty award which ultimately cost Erik ten Hag his job was one of four incorrect VAR interventions in this season’s Premier League so far
A controversial penalty award which ultimately cost Erik ten Hag his job was one of four incorrect VAR interventions in this season’s Premier League so far (John Walton/PA)
By Jamie Gardner, PA Chief Sports Reporter

There have been a total of 13 VAR errors in this season’s Premier League up to the end of January, according to the competition’s Key Match Incidents (KMI) panel.

That is made up of four incorrect VAR interventions and nine missed interventions, the league said on Tuesday.

While it has not specified the missed interventions, its chief football officer Tony Scholes did set out the four occasions where VAR intervened and the wrong decision was reached, in the opinion of the KMI Panel.

The data covered match round 23, where Michael Oliver sent off Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly. The league has not clarified whether the panel deemed that as an incorrect on-field decision, a missed intervention, or both. The red card has already been rescinded on appeal by an independent commission.

The KMI Panel found 66 of the 70 VAR interventions so far this season had been correct.

ERROR 1 – Dango Ouattara disallowed goal

Dango Ouattara’s header was disallowed
Dango Ouattara’s header was disallowed (John Walton/PA)

Ouattara thought he had headed a winner for Bournemouth against Newcastle in August and the goal was given on field by referee David Coote. However, VAR Tim Robinson ruled it out for handball. As he deemed it a factual decision rather than subjective, he did not send Coote to the monitor to review it. The KMI Panel felt the goal should have stood.

ERROR 2 – Penalty against Matthijs De Ligt

De Ligt, centre right, remonstrates with Coote over the controversial penalty award
De Ligt, centre right, remonstrates with Coote over the controversial penalty award (John Walton/PA)

The Manchester United defender’s challenge on West Ham forward Danny Ings in a match on October 27 was not penalised on field by Coote, but Oliver, as VAR, suggested a review. Coote gave the penalty, which Jarrod Bowen scored in stoppage time to give the Hammers a 2-1 win. That defeat proved extremely costly for United head coach Erik ten Hag, who was sacked the next day. The KMI panel verdict added insult to injury for Ten Hag.

ERROR 3 – Red card for Christian Norgaard

Norgaard’s challenge attracted no initial action but he was sent off after the VAR suggested a review
Norgaard’s challenge attracted no initial action but he was sent off after the VAR suggested a review (Peter Byrne/PA)

Brentford player Norgaard caught Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford on the knee as he slid in attempting to score in a match on November 23, but referee Chris Kavanagh did not award a free-kick. He was advised to review the incident for a possible red card by VAR Matt Donohue and promptly dismissed the Dane, a decision the KMI Panel disagreed with.

ERROR 4 – Offside against Chris Wood

A goal for Nikola Milenkovic, right, was ruled out after team-mate Chris Wood, not pictured, was ruled to be interfering with play
A goal for Nikola Milenkovic, right, was ruled out after team-mate Chris Wood, not pictured, was ruled to be interfering with play (Mike Egerton/PA)

Forest were initially awarded a fourth goal for Nikola Milenkovic against Southampton last month but VAR intervened and suggested Anthony Taylor review the decision on the grounds that Wood, who was in an offside position, was interfering with play. The goal was disallowed but the KMI Panel felt it should have been given.