‘No one ever watched football and said they wished goals like that were ruled out.’
Alexis Mac Allister may never strike the ball sweeter in his whole life. It was not only Brighton supporters that were fuming about the VAR decision.
Less than an hour after the Premier League announced it was reviewing controversial VAR decisions at Chelsea and Newcastle, with referees’ body PGMOL [Professional Game Match Officials Board], as ‘a matter of priority’, there was another sickener.
Mac Allister looked to have scored an early goal of the season contender after he pinged a beautiful strike, from 25 yards out, into the top corner of the Leicester City goal.
The Amex Community Stadium was still rocking when word came through of a VAR check. After a long delay, the goal was ruled out as Enock Mwepu, who was offside by a matter of inches, swung and missed at an inswinging free-kick. Mwepu was adjudged to have played a role in the build-up – even with his swing and miss – so the thunderous goal was chalked off.
You will not see a better strike this season…! 🔥 What. A. Hit.
But it's another contentious VAR decision this weekend 😫 pic.twitter.com/Idf0Fzj0wQ
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 4, 2022
Calls for VAR to be scrapped
As Football fans tried to deal with that belter from Alexis Mac Allister being ruled out, Brighton got their heads down and got on with the winning of a high-scoring match.
Leandro Trossard put his side 3-2 ahead before he was fouled to win his side a pemalty. Who stepped up to slot it home? Alexis Mac Allister.
The Argentine finished the scoring in injury time with this peachy free-kick:
Stop that, Alexis Mac Allister!! 🤤🤤pic.twitter.com/7zNKPytHac
— Sky Sports (@SkySports) September 4, 2022
Justice done, to an extent, but former Arsenal and England striker Ian Wright was still leading the charge to “bin” VAR, once and for all.
Bin it!! 🚮 #VAR
— Ian Wright (@IanWright0) September 4, 2022
No one ever watched football and said they wished goals like that were ruled out.
— Grace Robertson 🏳️⚧️ (@GraceOnFootball) September 4, 2022
A quick summary of VAR this weekend pic.twitter.com/NhNnuUoynk
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) September 4, 2022
That is cruel on MacAllister. Such a good strike that the crowd gasped when looking at the replay.
— John Bennett (@JohnBennettBBC) September 4, 2022
The best ever goal disallowed through VAR!!!! Surely you just got to give that. 🤯🤯🤯🤯. FFS VAR 🖕🏻
— Stephen Elliott (@SleevesElliott) September 4, 2022
Premier League to review weekend VAR calls
Meanwhile, the Premier League review comes after decisions that denied Newcastle United and West Ham goals against Crystal Palace and Chelsea, respectively.
The Hammers had a Maxwel Cornet equaliser ruled out, which David Moyes called a “rotten” and ‘scandalous decision’, and West Ham captain Declan Rice described as a “shambles”.
Newcastle were denied a winner against Crystal Palace after a lengthy VAR review saw the match referee reverse his original decision.
“It is shocking, abysmal, disgraceful,” Alan Shearer declared, on Match of the Day.
“Joe Willock is going to head that ball, so Tyrick Mitchell shoves him. Michael Salisbury gets it right, it is Lee Mason [VAR official] who somehow bizarrely tells him, ‘You have made a howler’.
“Lee Mason is the one to blame because it is an inexperienced referee. At this level you have got to get that decision right, he has had no help from VAR. Far too many errors, VAR is not the problem, it is the people who are running it.”
