Home / Sports / No VAR for Arsenal vs Ipswich: What it means
No VAR for Arsenal vs Ipswich: What it means
14 Sep
Summary
- VAR will not be used in Arsenal's League Cup match against Ipswich.
- Peter Bankes is the referee, having officiated Arsenal's last two finals.
- EFL uses VAR only when all stadiums in a round have the technology.
Arsenal's upcoming League Cup fixture against Ipswich Town will not feature VAR. The Football League has confirmed Peter Bankes as the referee for the third-round match, with Constantine Hatzidakis and Alex James serving as his assistants, and Josh Smith as the fourth official. This marks an unusual situation as Bankes has also officiated Arsenal's last two cup finals.
The EFL's decision to omit VAR stems from a policy requiring all stadiums in a given round to have access to the technology. Consequently, VAR is generally reserved for the final, as Wembley Stadium is equipped. Last season, VAR was only implemented in the semi-finals, and its absence in earlier rounds, like the quarter-finals, previously impacted decisions, notably in a match involving Manchester City.
Bankes' officiating in Arsenal's matches has generally been uncontroversial. A significant error occurred in 2023 during Brentford's draw with Arsenal when an offside call was missed. However, this was attributed to an assistant referee's initial error and a VAR official's subsequent oversight, rather than Bankes' direct misjudgment.
