System VAR too slow for Matic
NEMANJA MATIC and his Manchester United team-mates are going cold on the Video Assistant Referee system, even if their manager backs it.
United cruised into the quarterfinals after two goals from Romelu Lukaku sank Huddersfield.
Lukaku’s brace rendered the VAR’s decision to rule out a first-half strike from Juan Mata meaningless as United booked a home tie with Brighton.
But the game was still shrouded in controversy as the off-field referee took two minutes to decide Mata was offside as he latched onto Ashley Young’s pass, despite replays showing he was possibly level. Hawkeye images broadcast by BT Sport appeared to show a bent line but the company insists the officials were given the correct information.
Cue slow hand-clapping from fans, a bemused conversation between the rival managers, and more confusion regarding a system brought in to make such matters clear.
Standing around on the pitch waiting for a decision is all well and good in the warmer months, but Matic feels the process needs speeding up when the weather is cold, because it will put stars at risk of getting injured.
“We are not sure it was offside but okay, the referee has made a decision, they saw it on TV,” said Matic, above. “It was a little bit strange because you have to wait two minutes to see what happened.
“I think it [VAR] will be better for football, they just have to do it a little bit quicker because we waited so long for the decision.
“Two minutes is a long time on the pitch. It’s normal that referees make mistakes every game and they can refer it to TV, but it needs to be quicker.
“After two minutes we are cold and this is the only problem. Other than that I like it.”
Huddersfield were caught cold first when United, missing Paul Pogba through illness, took the lead inside three minutes, Mata putting Lukaku in to finish.
Mata was denied a goal of his own on the stroke of half-time, but there was no doubting United’s second on 55 minutes. Alexis Sanchez split the defence with a sublime pass for Lukaku, who fired past Jonas Lossl.
The result was a bit harsh on the Terriers but avoiding the drop is all that matters to them and Lossl has urged them to take the same battling form into their remaining league games, starting with Saturday’s crunch trip to rockbottom West Brom.
“This is the FA Cup and it’s about going through, so it was not a success,” he said.
“But we played a very, very good game and have to be proud of that. We have to take that on.
“The next game is always the biggest. It’s always about the next game and now we have to look forward to West Brom. Every game is a final now.”
HUDDERSFIELD (4-2-3-1): Lossl; Hadergjonaj (Smith 70), Zanka, Schindler, Kongolo (Malone 70); Williams, Billing; Ince, Quaner, Van La Parra (Sabiri 84); Mounie. MAN UTD (4-2-3-1): Romero; Young, Smalling, Lindelof, Shaw; Carrick, Matic; Mata (Lingard 81), McTominay, Sanchez (Martial 75); Lukaku (Bailly 90).
Goals: Lukaku 3, 55. Referee: K Friend (Leicestershire).