VAR TAKES CENTRESTAGE, AGAIN

System must be reliable, insists Mourinho despite Cup progress

JOSE Mourinho believes Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology must be more reliable before being rolled out across English football after his Manchester United side saw a goal ruled out in Saturday’s 2-0 FA Cup fifth round win at Huddersfield.

Juan Mata’s strike was eventually disallowed for the most marginal of offside calls just before half-time after a lengthy delay at the John Smith’s Stadium.

United, weren’t made to rue that decision, though, as Romelu Lukaku struck early in both halves to ease their passage into a quarter-final.

“I think our game is so beautiful that to change we have to change for the better,” said Mourinho, who had previously backed the use of VAR. “If they find a way in the VAR that the VAR is always right and always bring the truth, I’m happy.”

After a week of controversy concerning Paul Pogba’s future at Old Trafford, the goals were a perfect antidote to the speculation — or “lies” as Mourinho had labelled it.

Pogba had failed to travel for the tie, reporting sick on the morning of the game and leading United to take the highly unusual step of making an official announcement that he would be unavailable due to illness.

The biggest talking point of the game came a minute before the break when Ashley Young sped down the right and crossed for Mata.

He skilfully gathered the ball and rounded keeper Jonas Lossl before tapping into the open goal, only to see referee Kevin Friend seek clarification from VAR official Neil Swarbrick.

After a lengthy delay, during which rival managers Mourinho and David Wagner chatted amiably, the VAR ruled that Mata’s kneecap had strayed just offside and disallowed the goal.

“Yes, the decision went in our favour but this VAR for me kills the emotion of the game,” said Wagner. “This is why I don’t like it but I am not the person who makes the decision.”

Mourinho said: “During the game I don’t know, I trust and believe VAR. It is a bit frustrating because the moment I saw the referee touching his ear, it stayed there for a long time and I thought something is going to happen.

“I don’t know what to say, it was a beautiful goal and if it is offside or not offside by a kneecap or one hair then I don’t know.

“We have VAR in every match in the Portugal Premier League and I saw amazing things that put the truth into the game and result and that is an amazing thing. I also saw some controversial decisions that brought VAR into a doubtful situation,” said Mourinho,

Mata looked bamboozled by the decision. His face was a picture but it would have been nothing compared to the most watching when the images Swarbrick was using to make his decision were shown.

BT Sport showed a freezeframe shot of what Swarbrick was basing his decision off.

Astonishingly, the lines, which went across the pitch to determine whether or not Mata had jumped the gun, were wonky.

BT Sport’s pundits were shocked by the images with Robbie Savage calling it ‘ridiculous’ and ‘a shambles’.

However, later on in the halftime interval the correct images that Swarbrick had access to were shown. The lines this time were straight and his decision to rule out the goal looked more plausible.

Former referee Graham Poll, who had previously expressed support for the system, admitted VAR had been ‘unsatisfactory’ in this instance and that ‘clear and obvious mistakes’ need to be clarified moving forward.

“Let’s be honest, we think they got the right decision and that’s the most important,” he told BT Sport after the match.

“We need to clarify clear and obvious is when we’re looking at a handball or something obvious. There is no clear and obvious error for offside, you either are or you’re not.

“There’s no benefit to the attacker. We’re seeing a technical issue, we are told that’s the pictures they’re using and then we’re told it isn’t. What they’re sending us has made it unclear and confusing. We want an enjoyable game but technology spoils the flow of the game.”