VAR review: Analyzing VAR drama for Liverpool’s Mac Allister

Video assistant referee causes controversy every week in the Premier League, but how are decisions made, and are they correct?

This season, we take a look at the major incidents to examine and explain the process, both in terms of VAR protocol and the Laws of the Game.

Screenshot credit: BBC, TNT

Andy Davies (@andydaviesref) is a former Select Group referee, with over 12 seasons on the elite list, working across the Premier League and Championship. With extensive experience at the elite level, he has operated within the VAR space in the Premier League and offers a unique insight into the processes, rationale and protocols that are delivered on a Premier League matchday.

Nottingham Forest 0-1 Liverpool

Referee: Anthony Taylor
VAR: Paul Tierney
Time: 90 minutes
Incident: Liverpool have a goal overturned for a handball offense in the buildup.

What happened: Forest defender Ola Aina attempted to clear the ball, but the ball rebounded off Alexis Mac Allister and into the goal.

VAR decision: After a VAR review, the referee overturned the original decision of goal to Liverpool.

Taylor’s announcement revealed: “After review, the ball hits the arm of the goal scorer, Liverpool No. 10 [Mac Allister]. Therefore, it’s an accidental handball by the goal scorer, so the final decision is a direct free kick.”

VAR review: A quick review by Tierney identified that the ball had deflected off part of the arm of Mac Allister before it went into the Forest goal (with the tolerance level at the sleeve level).

Verdict: This was a correct VAR intervention for this overturn, regardless of how harsh it will feel on Liverpool.

The law states that a goal can’t be scored by the use of hand/arm even if it is accidental or a non-deliberate act.

Time: 97 minutes
Incident: A VAR check for offside on Virgil van Dijk ahead of Mac Allister’s goal.

What happened: Mac Allister smashed the ball home, but a VAR check was needed for Van Dijk when the cross came in, as the Netherlands defender played a big part in Mac Allister being able to get to the ball.

VAR decision: After a VAR review, the goal was allowed to stand.

VAR review: Another relatively quick review, as the semi-automated technology showed Van Dijk was marginally onside.

Verdict: A tight one, but Van Dijk was indeed just onside, despite what the initial replays looked like.

Manchester City 2-1 Newcastle United

Referee: Tom Bramall
VAR: James Bell
Time: 42 minutes
Incident: Disallowed goal for offside.

What happened? Newcastle’s Dan Burn nodded home a Sandro Tonali free kick, only for the goal to be disallowed for offside. However, the replays showed that Burn was in an offside position only because he was pushed by City defender Rúben Dias.

VAR decision: The VAR checked and cleared the on-field decision of no goal, confirming that an offside offense had been committed.

VAR review: Bell would have been very aware that there was a deliberate action by Dias on Burn prior to the goal being scored. With the Newcastle defender clearly in an offside position when he scores, the VAR check centered around the possible foul leading up to the goal and whether it met the criteria for a possible penalty kick.

It was a clear and deliberate push; however, the ball had not been played by Tonali at the moment the push occurred, and therefore the VAR was unable to intervene as the ball was not active.

Indeed, Law 12 says: Direct and indirect free kicks and penalty kicks can only be awarded for offenses committed when the ball is in play.

Verdict: Watching the replays, Newcastle players and their supporters will feel hard done by in this situation, which is understandable. The reality is that this was a calculated action by Dias and the City backline, who clearly understood the law and timed the push to perfection.

Within the laws of the game, no offense could have been committed here, and only the referee can intervene to manage physical contact prior to the ball being in play. The VAR has no jurisdiction to get involved without the ball in play, unless an act of violent conduct has occurred, which was not the case here.

Time: 51 minutes
Incident: Possible second yellow card for Man City’s Bernardo Silva

What happened: Silva had already been cautioned, but minutes later, he appeared to jump into Burn with no attempt to play the ball. Was he fortunate not to receive a second yellow card?

VAR decision: The VAR did not view this a possible red card challenge, and under the current rules, they are unable to intervene in possible second yellow card situations (only in straight red decisions).

Verdict: For a referee to send a player off for a second yellow card in this type of situation, they are looking for the challenge to be above their threshold. It has to hit you immediately as a second yellow without a second thought, and you know it in the moment.

Watching this clip in isolation, Silva is fortunate not to have received a second yellow for what was an unnecessary challenge as he made no attempt to play the ball.

However, in the context of a physical game, it wasn’t a standout moment and not one that would have caused Bramall too much discomfort in real time.

There are the moments in big games when you trust your instincts, and I felt this was sensible game management, as awarding a second yellow card was not the most obvious outcome.