The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling celebrates after scoring the first goal in the hosts’ 3-0 win over Arsenal as the Premier League returned after the lay-off.
Goal-line system fails to spot Villa keeper carrying ball into net
ASTON VILLA 0 SHEFFIELD UNITED 0
Sheffield United were denied victory at Villa Park by a technical fault as the Premier League resumed with huge controversy.
The Blades were forced to settle for a 0-0 draw after goal-line technology failed last night, in the top flight’s first game for three months after the coronavirus pandemic halted sport.
Goalkeeper Orjan Nyland carried Oliver Norwood’s free-kick across the line but a goal was not awarded.
Referee Michael Oliver’s watch did not signal a goal and play continued with the video assistant referee failing to intervene.
The technology failed for the first time since it was introduced in the Premier League in 2013 with the operator of the system apologising for the error.
Hawk-eye, which runs the technology, explained that all seven of its cameras monitoring the goal were obscured by either the goalkeeper, a defender or the goalpost.
VAR did not intervene as play continued and Villa won a free-kick, starting a new passage of play, although it could have checked in the interim period.
Blades boss Chris Wilder told Sky Sports: “I believe a decision should have been made from Stockley Park (the VAR centre).
“For someone to tell me with seven cameras and this is the first time it’s happened in over 9,000 games it’s a difficult one to take.
“We’ve got Chris Kavanagh (fourth official), one of the best referees in the
Premier League and Michael Oliver, possibly one of the best referees in Europe, and if you ask them they’ll be scratching their heads over how this situation occurred.
“We believe it should have been referred (to VAR).”
Villa boss Dean Smith said: “There’s going to be errors in technology as we’ve seen with VAR this season and now for the first time ever with Hawk-eye. We just have to accept it and move on.”
Victory would have taken Sheffield United above Manchester United into the top five and the Blades will have to wait to see how much the error will cost them in their surprise push for a European place.
They struggled to impose themselves at an empty Villa Park though and Dean Henderson denied Scotland midfielder John Mcginn, with Keinan Davis heading a fine first-half chance over as Villa missed the chance to climb out of the relegation zone.
Smith’s side remain second bottom and a point from safety but, after dominating for long spells, will consider it a huge missed chance.
Every player and official took a knee before kicking off in a huge and striking show of support to the Black Lives Matter movement. It was a poignant image, which came after a moment of silence for coronavirus victims.
A statement from the Professional Game Match Officials board explained why VAR did not intervene when the technology failed.
It read: “Under the IFAB protocol, the VAR is able to check goal situations, however due to the fact that the on-field match officials did not receive a signal, and the unique nature of that, the VAR did not intervene.”