Every Premier League VAR blunder and the worst-affected teams confirmed

Daily Mirror

3 days ago

There were a number of high-profile VAR mistakes over the course of the 2024-25 season, with certain Premier League clubs getting a raw deal once the dust settled
The Premier League's Key Match Incidents panel has identified 18 VAR mistakes across the 2024-25 season, an improvement on the previous campaign. The figure is a significant drop on the previous campaign, though there will still be some who expected perfection from the introduction of the new technology.
All 20 clubs in the league voted on keeping VAR ahead of the season, with Wolves the only club to call for it to be scrapped entirely. Despite the league persisting with Video Assistant Referees, there were widespread calls for changes to improve the process.
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Premier League clubs made the case for more regular and better training for referees in an effort to improve the current state of play. They also asked for set teams of VAR officials to encourage better understanding between officials, as well as pushing for a drastic cut in delays and better messaging for fans in stadiums, with the latter an oft-repeated concern for match-going fans.
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So, about those 18 errors over the course of the 2024-25 season. The Key Match Officials panel comprises former players and/or coaches as well as one representative for the Premier League and one for PGMOL.
ESPN has shed light on the mistakes identified by the panel over the course of the most recent Premier League season. Here, Mirror Football sheds more light on the errors - as well as which clubs were harmed more than others.
1. Dango Ouattara (Bournemouth vs Newcastle)
The first VAR error took place on the opening weekend of the season. Bournemouth forward Ouattara thought he had scored a late winner, only for the effort to be chalked off for handball.
The KMI panel voted unanimously that VAR got the decision wrong. That extra point for Newcastle was certainly helpful, with Eddie Howe's side ultimately qualifying for the Champions League on goal difference alone, though it's too simplistic to argue a decision on the opening weekend made all the difference.
2. Bruno Fernandes (Man Utd vs Tottenham)
Another unanimous vote here. Fernandes was shown a straight red card during Manchester United's loss at home to Tottenham in September, with all five panelists believing that to be a mistake.
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United trailed 1-0 at the time and went on to lose 3-0. Fernandes' suspension was ultimately overturned on appeal, allowing the Portuguese to return to action.
3. Matthijs de Ligt (West Ham vs Man Utd)
The KMI panel votes on the referee and the VAR in these instances. As with the Ouattara incident, the panel backed the on-field referee unanimously but went the other way when it came to the VAR intervention.
No penalty was initially awarded after United defender De Ligt challenged Hammers striker Danny Ings late in the second half. A long VAR check saw referee Michael Oliver point to the spot, and Jarrod Bowen converted from 12 yards to win the game for West Ham.
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4. Christian Norgaard (Everton vs Brentford)
Brentford captain Norgaard was shown a straight red card during the first half of his team's draw at Everton. The Dane stretched for a ball at the back post and ended up connecting with home goalkeeper Jordan Pickford - enough for the VAR to intervene.
This is the first split decision on the list, with the panel explaining (via ESPN): "The panel were split (3:2), with the majority deeming the on-field decision correct as 'both players are committed to normal footballing actions.' Two panelists deemed the on-field decision incorrect as 'whilst this was a challenge for the ball, there was a high, full and forceful contact with the studs.'"
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5. Ian Maatsen (Aston Villa vs Crystal Palace)
Some of the mistakes relate to non-intervention when VAR might have been better placed getting involved. One such instance relates to Maatsen's foul on Ismaila Sarr, with the panel arguing - by split decision - that he should have seen red.
The argument comes down to whether Maatsen denied Sarr a clear goalscoring opportunity. While the on-field referee and VAR official believed there was a covering defender, the panel wasn't so sure.
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6. Abdoulaye Doucoure (Everton vs Wolves)
Not all of the decisions on this list had a huge bearing on the match outcome. Everton were already three goals to the good against Wolves when they benefited from what the panel considers to have been an incorrect call.
Doucoure was ruled not to be interfering while stood in an offside position in the lead-up to a Craig Dawson own goal. Curiously, Everton had earlier seen a goal chalked off for a similar offence but were not punished for a second time.
7. Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa)
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There was significant late drama when Forest beat Villa in December, with the home side scoring twice in the final five minutes to turn defeat into victory. However, the VAR controversy in the game came early on with the scores still level.
Villa appealed for a penalty as Forest midfielder Anderson pulled back Morgan Rogers, but no spot-kick was forthcoming. The KMI panel argued by a margin of three to two that there was enough holding inside the box to warrant a penalty.
8. Pervis Estupinan (West Ham vs Brighton)
When West Ham and Brighton played out a draw in December, all the drama took place after the break. Mats Wieffer and Mohammed Kudus exchanged goals, while Brighton defender Estupinan risked a late red card for serious foul play.
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Neither the on-field ref or the VAR felt the Ecuadorian deserved to be dismissed for his foul on Max Kilman, but the KMI panel didn't see things that way. "The action of Estupinian has speed, force, intensity and endangers the safety of the opponent," they said.
9. Joao Pedro (Brighton vs Brentford)
Just one week later, another Brighton player escaped a red card. Joao Pedro flung an elbow at Brentford's Yehor Yarmoliuk but stayed on the field.
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The Brazilian made no contact with his opponent, but this doesn't mean he should have escaped dismissal. Indeed, the KMI panel argued unanimously that the officials got it wrong.
10. Alexis Mac Allister (West Ham vs Liverpool)
After finding themselves on the right end of a VAR penalty mistake in October, West Ham were on the wrong end in December. They might feel it could have made a big difference, too, with a 1-0 deficit growing into a 5-0 defeat after the decision.
Mac Allister threw Carlos Soler to the ground off the ball, with the KMI panel split on the call as some argued it had no impact on play. The defeat ended up being Julen Lopetegui's last game at the London Stadium, with the manager dismissed after a loss at Manchester City a few days later.
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11. Wes Burns (Ipswich vs Brighton)
After finding themselves the beneficiaries of VAR errors in December, Brighton were on the other end in January. The Seagulls appealed for an early penalty at Ipswich after Burns impeded Jan Paul van Hecke, but didn't get the decision.
Ultimately it didn't matter too much, with Fabian Hurzeler's side going on to win 2-0. Had they failed to find the breakthrough, though, they may well have dwelt on that missed call.
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12. Nikola Milenkovic (Nottingham Forest vs Southampton)
Nottingham Forest's win against Southampton in January was far more tense than it needed to be. Part of that was the hosts seeing a 3-0 lead reduced to 3-2, and part comes down to the disallowed goal which might have stopped that happening.
Milenkovic thought he'd made it 4-1 moments after the Saints' first, only for the goal to be chalked off for offside against team-mate Chris Wood. According to the panel, though, Wood made no impact on an opponent and the goal should have been allowed to stand.
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13. Myles Lewis-Skelly (Wolves vs Arsenal)
Arsenal youngster Lewis-Skelly received a first-half red card at Molineux after stopping a counter-attack. There were no arguments about him being penalised for his foul on Matt Doherty, but the visitors were shocked by the colour of the card shown to him.
Arsenal still won the game, with Wolves also ending the game with 10 men, and Lewis-Skelly's suspension was later overturned. "Yeah obviously really happy that the decision has been made and Myles is going to be available for us," Gunners boss Mikel Arteta said.
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14. Jack Hinshelwood (Brighton vs Aston Villa)
After that January error, we had to wait until April for another VAR decision which the KMI panel felt to be the wrong one. However, it was one of two on the same day.
Brighton youngster Hinshelwood avoided punishment for a foul on Jacob Ramsey, with the panel unanimously arguing Villa should have won a penalty. It didn't impact the final score, with Unai Emery's side going on to win 3-0.
15. James Tarkowski (Liverpool vs Everton)
A second VAR mistake on April 2 and a second with a unanimous response from the KMI panel. Everton defender Tarkowski was only shown a yellow card for a foul on Alexis Mac Allister which many at the time felt should have earned him a red.
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"The clear dangerous nature of the challenge is not mitigated by Tarkowski winning the ball first," the panel said. "A clear example of endangering the safety of an opponent."
16. Caoimhin Kelleher (Fulham vs Liverpool)
Liverpool suffered just their second league defeat of the season in April when Fulham got the better of them at Craven Cottage. The London side even managed to shake off a controversial decision in which they were denied a penalty.
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Reds keeper Kelleher took out Fulham's Andreas Pereira after the Brazilian played the ball across. The Irish international wasn't punished, but it ultimately didn't stop the hosts running out 3-2 winners.
17. Evanilson (Bournemouth vs Man Utd)
Another moment of Bournemouth controversy after that opening day drama. Once again, Andoni Iraola's side may feel the VAR mistake impacted the result, as they led 1-0 at the time but ended up only drawing.
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Evanilson was sent off after a challenge on United's Noussair Mazraoui. He appeared to slip into the challenge, though, and this was cited in the panel's explanation, with the Brazilian's ban ultimately overturned.
18. Axel Tuanzebe (Ipswich vs Brentford)
We end with relegated Ipswich, who were already down when they got a meaningless let-off against Brentford. Defender Tuanzebe dragged Bees counterpart Nathan Collins to the ground, but no penalty was awarded.
The panel argued the holding between the players was not mutual, with Tuanzebe holding his opponent with both arms. The decision has no bearing on the result, with Brentford 1-0 up at the time and winning by the same scoreline.
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Who benefited the most... and who suffered
Brentford suffered the most from those incorrect decisions, finding themselves on the wrong end on three occasions and not benefiting from a mistake even once. At the other end of the scale are Everton, who gained on three occasions and lost out on none.
ESPN also looked at the biggest beneficiaries of VAR decisions - not just those errors listed above - over the course of the season. Newcastle are out in front in that field, with 13 decisions in favour and just four against, with Bournemouth at the other end after four decisions in their favour and 11 against.
Three teams - Chelsea, Leicester and Manchester City - were involved in no VAR errors all season long. In fact, City only had four VAR interventions in their games in total - three in their favour and one against.
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