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The Premier League 2022-23 season has witnessed a lot of errors in the decision by referees and the clubs' bosses have called for a review into 'disgraceful' VAR decisions. Newcastle and West ham United are the two clubs that became the recent victims of disallowed goals after a VAR review.
Earlier, head of the PGMOL Mike Riley admitted that he made a wrong decision during Tottenham and Chelsea clash last month as he failed to send off Cristian Romero for pulling Marc Cucurella’s hair. Former Premier League referee Howard Webb is set to replace Riley at the end of the season.
Football pundit Alan Shearer said, "At this level, you're in the big boys league, you've got to get that decision right. He's had no help from the VAR whatsoever. Mike Riley wasn't up to the job, they've got rid of him although he's still in it till Howard Webb comes in at Christmas time. He's got a big job on his hands, far, far too many errors. VAR is not the problem, it's the people as I keep saying that are running it that are the problem."
While Newcastle played a draw against Crystal Palace at St James' Park on Saturday, West Ham faced a frustrating defeat against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Crystal Palace defender Tyrick Mitchell's own goal was ruled out by the referee Michael Salisbury, who believed that Newcastle midfielder Joe Willock fouled on goalkeeper Vicente Guaita, while the Magpies stated that the goalkeeper pushed their midfielder.
During Chelsea and West Ham game on September 3, referee Jarred Gillett deemed West Ham forward Jarrod Bowen fouled Edouard Mendy in the build-up and disallowed Maxwell Cornet's late equaliser at Stamford Bridge.
Demanding an urgent review in the VAR decisions by referees, West Ham coach David Moyes said, "The goalkeeper comes to take it, and actually fumbles it out of his hands five or six yards, so he could never recover it. Then he acted as if he had a shoulder injury. I'm amazed that VAR sent the referee to see it.
"It was a ridiculously bad decision. I'd question VAR as much as the referee, but the referee should have stuck to his own guns - there is no excuse for that not to be a goal, none whatsoever. The sad thing is this is the level of the weak refereeing at the moment.”
Eventually, the Referees’ body PGMOL accepted the blunders made in VAR decisions at Chelsea and Newcastle and assured to co-operate fully with the review.