SYSTEM MUST IMPROVE TO SWAY TOP CLUBS

THE introduction of the video assistant referee system for next season’s Premier League is in the balance after recent farcical events in the FA Cup. VAR has caused controversy during its trials, most notably in Tottenham’s FA Cup replay win over Rochdale on Wednesday and West Bromwich Albion’s fourth-round win at Liverpool. England’s 20 top-flight clubs are to hold a shareholders’ meeting next month and will discuss whether to take it to a vote. For VAR to feature in the Premier League from next season, at least 14 would have to agree. As it stands, Crystal Palace and Stoke City would say no while Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham are also believed to want to see improvements before its official introduction. Liverpool and Manchester City are both known to be broadly supportive but are likely to want a few tweaks to avoid the kind of issues shown up this season. The Premier League’s top clubs have also taken notice of UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin’s decision not to use it in the Champions League and Europa League next season. Players and fans have also made their feelings known after VAR overshadowed Spurs’ win over Rochdale. The main issues are the time it takes to reach a decision — fans jeered referee Paul Tierney’s constant stoppages at Wembley — and the lack of communication. Any attempt to make the system more acceptable to fans is likely to run into trouble at two of the Premier League’s biggest and most famous grounds. One problem with the current system is that fans have no idea what is going on while officials stop to check for fouls, offsides or infringements. This has led to calls for replays to be shown on big screens but Manchester United and Liverpool do not have one. More modern stadiums, such as Manchester City’s Etihad and Arsenal’s Emirates, do have screens but the only way they

could be installed at Old Trafford or Anfield would be to remove seats and reduce capacity. This option is not likely to be something either club will want. Stoke chairman Peter Coates said yesterday that he was becoming ‘less and less enamoured’ with the system but a Premier League spokesman said: ‘We are open to considering new technology that assists officials without disrupting the flow of the game. ‘We are monitoring VAR trials in other competitions. Those trials will inform further discussions with our clubs later this season.’ The use of VAR is expected to be ratified by the International Football Association Board in Zurich tomorrow, which will automatically mean it will be used at this summer’s World Cup in Russia. That idea horrifies many fans who saw recent FA Cup games. But there is unlikely to be any complaint from England manager Gareth Southgate — his assistant Steve Holland backed the system after a FIFA coaches’ briefing in Russia this week. Holland said: ‘Making the correct decisions — in as slick and efficient manner as possible — is something we all want. ‘We have no reason to believe that won’t be the case at the World Cup.’ England will be represented in Zurich by FA chairman Greg Clarke and chief executive Martin Glenn.