This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
Jamie Redknapp has suggested that Marco Silva has every right to be furious after the controversial VAR decision that led to a goal for Brighton & Hove Albion at the weekend.
What did he say?
Everton lost for the sixth time in the Premier League on Saturday, but the game was overshadowed with a debatable VAR call on Michael Keane. The Englishman was seen to step on Aaron Connolly’s foot, but it looked completely accidental as he watched the ball come down from a pass to the Brighton forward.
The decision to rule it a foul resulted in a penalty, which brought the Seagulls level. 14 minutes later, Lucas Digne would smash the ball in his own net and hand the home side all three points as a result.
Redknapp said in his Daily Mail column: “Silva should be seething with VAR.
“Marco Silva has every right to be angry with the decision of VAR to award Brighton a pivotal penalty in their 3-2 defeat of Everton at the Amex Stadium.
“Michael Keane did step on Aaron Connolly’s foot, but let’s be honest, that was extremely harsh. Especially when you think of some of the other calls which have not been given, like when Bournemouth’s Jefferson Lerma stood on David Silva’s foot at the Vitality Stadium in August. Where is the consistency?”
What’s the point if it’s not consistent?
As Redknapp alluded to, there is currently no consistency in VAR. There have been instances throughout the season so far which have made the technology look worthwhile, but this seems to be outweighed by the constant controversy it brings.
For example, VAR overruled the penalty decision for Callum Hudson-Odoi against Burnley this weekend, when Michael Oliver initially pointed to the spot. Replays showed that the Chelsea man went down without contact, and VAR rightfully so ruled it out.
However, then there are instances such as Keane’s on Connolly. This was similar to when Lerma stood on Silva’s foot in August and it was not given as a penalty, which then makes it tough to justify the means for Keane’s contact with Connolly to be a foul.
It’s beginning to feel like VAR is simply adding an extra layer of controversy to decisions that are subjective by nature and, as Redknapp says, Silva is well within his rights to feel aggrieved by weekend events.