WHAT A VARCE
Blades denied penalty and Billy sees red
‘VAR check complete,’ declared the voice over the Tannoy when those at Stockley Park declined to recommend that Sheffield United be awarded a second- half penalty for what appeared to be a handball by James Ward-Prowse.
In the home sections of a seething Bramall Lane they may well have added their own, one-word expletive to the end of the message to turn it into a description rather than a statement. Chris Wilder may have felt similarly.
The Blades manager, whose side were trailing to Moussa Djenepo’s magnificent goal that would turn out to be the match-winner, had earlier seen an Oli McBurnie tap-in which would have opened the scoring disallowed for offside following a VAR review.
Unsurprisingly, Wilder was not impressed. ‘It’s a penalty,’ he said of the later incident. ‘There’s two or three of our boys waiting to tap it in. I don’t think they can get it wrong in my opinion.’
Wilder believed the Saints man’s arm was outstretched when contact was made and that, as a result, referee Lee Mason should have been instructed to point to the spot.
‘The hand was out there,’ he said, before referring to last week’s Premier League meeting at which referee’s chief Mike Riley admitted the new system had already made four errors. ‘Maybe in four weeks’ time someone will come out and say it’s a mistake,’ he said. ‘You expect with all the talk and the debate it’s a pretty easy one to pick up. I don’t know why they had that meeting then, eh?’
Wilder was right to be upset. VAR was meant to put an end to controversy. If anything, it has added to it. However, the handball rule and its interpretation have also played their part.
Despite the fury there could be no complaints about the goal that settled an entertaining clash.
Djenepo, the Saints winger turned attacking full-back, burst past three defenders on 66 minutes before slotting past Dean Henderson.
Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl hailed the Mali international, a £14million summer signing from Standard Liege who already looks like a bargain.
‘I have to thank my physios that made him fit,’ said the Austrian, who had taken his men sailing in the build up to this clash. ‘It was very close — they did a fantastic job. When he gets the ball in these positions it’s unbelievable, he’s so quick.’
The 21-year-old winger seized on a poor pass from Ollie Norwood but was 35 yards out when he did his thing. Djenepo scored a screamer at Brighton last month and was at it again on his first start.
When it came to VAR’s role, Hasenhuttl was of a different opinion to the man in the opposing dugout. ‘It makes the game more fair,’ he said. ‘Maybe we were the team that were lucky but I think it should make the game more fair and I think it did that today.’
Both sides traded chances in a first half high on intensity, if lacking in composure. Dean Henderson was superb in the Blades goal. The 22–year-old keeper is on loan from Manchester United and, while few in the Stretford End would wish to see David de Gea depart, there is clearly a capable replacement on the club’s books.
Following the break the new boys thought they had the lead when Norwood’s free-kick was tapped in at the far post by McBurnie after John Egan had failed to finish. Following a VAR review Egan, who got a touch, was ruled offside.
Nine minutes after Djenepo’s deadlock breaker came the more controversial VAR interruption when it looked like Ward-Prowse had handled a cross at the far post.
In a frantic finale, Blades sub Billy Sharp was sent off 20 minutes after coming on for a reckless challenge on Stuart Armstrong.