The Premier League has acknowledged that the VAR process drifted last season and is putting an emphasis on the on-field referee’s decision ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.
Top-flight officials and video assistant referees at Stockley Park have been told the threshold for intervention needs to be high, with the Premier League and PGMOL reaffirming that to them over the summer.
There is going to be a renewed focus on what is being dubbed the ‘referee’s call’ — the match official making a decision on the pitch before VAR intervenes. The referee will also have the final call as when it comes to overturning a decision, and if VAR has determined they made the wrong decision, a review will be recommended.
Video assistant referees have been reminded that their task is to check whether, in their professional option, the on-field referee has made a clear and obvious error.
When a referee is sent to their monitor, they will always be shown replays at full speed. The only time they will view a slowed-down replay is when the point of contact needs to be established.
The big screens inside Premier League stadiums will continue to show all VAR overturns this season, as well as all the on-field goals that are disallowed, which is new for 2024-25.
(Matt McNulty/Getty Images)
If there is a delay to the restart because a goal is being checked, they will show the definitive clip as to why there has been a delay — to check a potential offside or to look at a foul in the build-up play — so that supporters are kept informed. Those inside the stadium, however, will only see the replays once the final decision has been made.
No time limit has been imposed on the video assistant referees when it comes to making a decision, although PGMOL officials want them to trust their instincts and go with their professional judgement.
Plans for the referee to make on-field announcements regarding VAR have been pulled back, although that could be revisited later in the season.
As well as reminding the match officials and video assistant referees about what is expected from them this season, the Premier League and PGMOL have also spoken to the clubs. Managers and players have been informed that their public comments, especially regarding the criticism of VAR, is damaging and that it undermines the process.
VAR drew plenty of criticism last season, with Nottingham Forest issuing an on-record statement in May criticising Stuart Attwell for being a Luton Town fan after they were denied multiple penalty shouts. Luis Diaz’s disallowed goal for Liverpool against Tottenham Hotspur last September also caused outrage, with the PGMOL admitting an error had been made after the game.
(Top photo: Matt McNulty/Getty Images)
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