Refereeing
in the Premier League has been a major talking point this season, and barely a
weekend goes by without another decision leaving managers, players and
supporters shaking their heads. The
problem is not just that officials get things wrong, it is that they seem to
get them wrong in completely different ways from one week to the next.
Pushing
and fouls go against Tottenham
On 22
February, Tottenham had a goal ruled out in the North London Derby after Randal
Kolo Muani placed both hands on Gabriel Magalhaes' back before firing the ball
into the net. Referee Peter Bankes blew immediately, and VAR upheld the
decision.
Less than a
week later, Fulham striker Raul Jimenez had both hands on the back of Spurs
defender Radu Dragusin in the build-up to Harry Wilson's opener at Craven
Cottage. The goal stood after VAR confirmed the contact did not meet the
threshold for a foul. The comparison to the Kolo Muani incident was impossible
to miss, with two nearly identical challenges judged in completely opposite
ways within seven days.
Both of these
decisions went against Spurs, who are struggling for points, and their
supporters have been keeping a close eye on the Premier League relegation odds as the pressure mounts at the bottom
of the table.
Declan
Rice escapes penalty despite clear handball
In gameweek
28, Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice appeared to raise his elbow and make contact
with the ball inside his own penalty area while grappling with Jorrel Hato
during Arsenal's 2-1 win over Chelsea. Referee Darren England waved away the
appeals, and VAR chose not to intervene.
What makes
this particularly hard to stomach is that goals have been disallowed elsewhere
this season for far less. Back in November, Nottingham Forest had a goal ruled
out at Anfield after Igor Jesus was penalised for a handball that replays
suggested did not even make contact with his arm.
More
recently, Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister had a goal disallowed
against the same Nottingham Forest side after the ball deflected off his elbow
entirely by accident. Both incidents followed the letter of the law, yet Rice's
far more deliberate movement of his arm towards the ball was waved through
without a second thought.
Many
supporters have pointed to this as yet another example of Arsenal benefiting
from decisions that would never be given in their favour if the same situation
arose at the other end of the pitch.
Lacroix
sent off for holding
Crystal
Palace defender Maxence Lacroix was given a red card at Old Trafford after VAR
intervened to upgrade the on-field decision following his pull on Matheus Cunha
inside the penalty area. Referee Chris Kavanagh was sent to the monitor and
dismissed Lacroix for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity. The red card
swung the game and ultimately cost Palace all three points.
The decision
itself may have been technically correct, but it sits uncomfortably alongside a
long list of similar incidents this season where holding in the penalty area
has gone entirely unpunished. At the very same Arsenal versus Chelsea match the
previous day, Gabriel Magalhaes was seen clutching Joao Pedro's shirt at a
corner with no action taken by either the referee or VAR.
The
bigger picture
The problem
is not that referees are dishonest or incompetent. The problem is that
football's laws around physical contact require a level of judgement that
different officials will always apply differently.
VAR was
designed to fix clear errors, not to resolve the kind of grey areas that seem
to dominate the headlines every single week. Until the Premier League finds a
way to give officials clearer and more consistent guidance on where to draw the
line, supporters from every club will keep feeling like the rules are being
made up as they go along.
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