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VAR Controversy: Offside Foreheads & Red Card Debates
15 Feb
Summary
- VAR disallowed a Newcastle goal due to a marginal offside on Joe Willock's forehead.
- Digne's late challenge on Murphy sparked debate over potential red card reviews.
- Bizot's knee-high challenge on Murphy was assessed for serious foul play or DOGSO.
VAR's implementation continues to be a talking point, with a recent offside decision against Newcastle's Joe Willock sparking controversy. The technology disallowed a goal due to Willock's forehead being marginally offside, a call that drew significant debate.
The effectiveness of VAR in reviewing serious foul play is also under scrutiny. It is unclear if a VAR intervention would have resulted in a red card for Digne's challenge on Jacob Murphy, given precedents where only glancing contact led to yellow cards. The speed of Digne's tackle and the lack of follow-through on Murphy's shin were factors considered.
Another incident involved Bizot's knee-high challenge on Murphy, which could have been classified as serious foul play or denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. However, the general run of play not being directly towards goal and the possibility of another defender intervening likely meant the on-field decision would have been upheld.
