RIGHT ON SHAW…BUT HARRY CALL A HOWLER

WHAT a hectic sequence. Luke Shaw commits a challenge on Johann Gudmundsson just outside the Manchester United box (below, 1). Referee Kevin Friend gives nothing. United counter. Edinson Cavani is through but brought down by Robbie Brady (2), who is shown a yellow card. United’s players aren’t happy and argue he’s the last man, with Ben Mee lagging behind. VAR Stuart Attwell had plenty to look at. United feared Shaw could be sent off, and Burnley feared the same for Brady for denial of a goalscoring opportunity. Attwell recommended Friend check his monitor, where the referee studies the Shaw incident first. That means the

VAR either thinks Brady should be red-carded, because he’s looking back at what happened earlier in the attacking phase of play. Or he thinks Shaw should get a red. In the end, Friend came to the right conclusion. Shaw did commit a foul, but there was not enough brutality for it to be a red-card offence. Because that is a Burnley free-kick, everything afterwards is void, including Brady bringing down Cavani. Most of us in football would expect this to be given as a foul by Shaw, so this was an example of VAR doing its job. However, Harry Maguire’s headed goal once play resumed (3) should never have been disallowed. Maguire attacks the ball from distance, and Erik Pieters makes a standing jump. Maguire gets his head to the ball fairly. Everybody in football would accept it if this goal stood. This is where it can get complicated with VAR, who will hide behind whether this was a ‘clear and obvious’ error. It is little wonder Maguire went straight over to Friend when the half-time whistle went to ask why it did not stand.