VAR FROM FAIR
Bilic: So many decisions have gone against us .. we could be out of the relegation zone
UNDER- PRESSURE Slaven Bilic has blamed dodgy decisions for West Brom’s rocky return to the Premier League.
Bilic’s future has been plunged into fresh doubt after the Baggies’ s ho c ki ng 5- 1 hammering by Crystal Palace.
They fell apart after Matheus Pereira was sent off ( below) with the score 1- 1 and the defeat saw Bilic’s side drop to 19th.
But he claims Albion could be out of the relegation zone were it not for a number of refereeing and VAR decisions, including Pereira’s dismissal for kicking out at Patrick van Aanholt.
Bilic said: “The red card shouldn’t have been given, but I expected the ban to go down to one game.
“Then when I found it was three games, it was a very disappointing decision.
“I t i s s i mply n o t f a i r, especially when you look at the bigger picture, what happened in that game, in previous games.
“What is happening with VAR w i t h u s a n d e v e r y t h i n g . Everything goes against us, every decision.
“There is not one of them, not two of them, not five. I don’t know how many? Eight is it? Or more than eight. It is a lot.
“I don’t know whether it is one point, two point or six points. We wouldn’t be 19th, we would be maybe even above Brighton.
“It i s ver y unfair to us the situation with VAR because every decision was against us.”
Bilic’s position is under greater scrutiny than at any stage in his
18- month reign. His contract is up next summer and the club have previously considered alternatives including Charlton’s Lee Bowyer.
Another bad defeat today at Ne wcast l e a nd i t c o u l d b e curtains after just six points from 11 games with 23 goals conceded – the worst in the division.
Bilic added: “They say at the end it levels up but not in our case unfortunately. Our situation is it is completely going against us.
“Nobody knows what would be the result if Matheus Pereira was on the pitch. Nobody knows what would be the result if a penalty was given with 10 men in the 53rd minute on Conor Gallagher when it is 1- 1.
“With Matheus and a penalty I am thinking we would be closer to winning the game.”
A l b i o n’s C h i n e s e o w n e r Guochuan Lai is desperate for t he cl ub t o remain i n t he Premier League after buying it for £ 175million.
His deputy Xu Ke, known as Ken, and technical and s p o r t i n g d i r e c t o r L u k e Dowling are on the ground running the club.
Bilic said: “No one is happy with a 5- 1 defeat.”
Emirates Stadium: Tomorrow, 7.15pm
MIKEL ARTETA has ordered his Arsenal team to make the Emirates a fortress again.
Their miserable home form has been a major factor in their plummet to a lowly 15th place in the Premier League as they pre pare t o host st r uggli ng Burnley tomorrow.
But after they tackle Sean Dyche’s men, Arsenal meet S outhampton a t home on Wednesday in another game that Arteta is looking to win to get their stumbling season back on track.
The Gunners have lost their last three on home soil – against L e i c e st e r, Aston Vi l l a a nd Wolves – and he has demanded that his team start putting that record straight.
The added factor he hopes will help is that for the first time