Man Utd benefit from Howard Webb clampdown while Alan Shearer admits VAR got it right

After several controversial decisions during the Premier League’s opening weekend, all eyes were on VAR ahead of this weekend’s action. Eberechi Eze’s free-kick goal being ruled out against Chelsea and James Tarkowski’s so-called handball in particular had caused a stir, sparking early fears that refereeing calls would dominate headlines again this season.

Matchday two was slightly less controversial in terms of big refereeing decisions for PGMOL. The Video Assistant Referee, for the majority, supported the matchday official’s on-pitch decisions – though there were clear examples of inconsistency once again.

One incident in particular caused a stir during Newcastle’s 3-2 defeat to Liverpool on Monday, where Simon Hooper initially showed Anthony Gordon a yellow card for a reckless challenge on Virgil van Dijk. After being told to check the incident on the monitor, however, Hooper decided tobrandish a red card.

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Now, Mirror Football brings you all of the major decisions made by VAR during the second gameweek of the Premier League season.

Man Utd benefit from new rules

During the 33rd minute of Manchester United’s visit to Fulham, a corner saw several players go down in the box at the same time. Referee Chris Kavanagh initially allowed play to continue but VAR soon began checks for a potential penalty over a foul by Calvin Bassey on Mason Mount.

After one minute and 45 seconds, Kavanagh was sent to the monitor by VAR, Darren England, where Bassey was adjudged to have thrown Mount to the ground. A spot-kick was awarded, which Bruno Fernandes missed.

And despite Ruben Amorim’s criticisms of the corner decision that went against his side last weekend, the Red Devils this time benefitted from the PGMOL’s decision to clampdown on unfair grappling inside the box this season.

PGMOL chief Howard Webb said before the start of the season: "What we've said to the officials is, if you get one of those extreme situations where one player is clearly dragging another one to the floor in an extreme non-footballing action, even if it's off the ball, we expect either the referee to see it or, if it's a clear one, then the VAR will will intervene and recommend the referee looks at it at the screen because it fits the criteria that we've laid out."

Leny Yoro’s push

In the 58th minute of the same fixture, another corner saw Leny Yoro head the ball into the net off Rodrigo Muniz. But Yoro appeared to push Bassey with both arms as the ball came into the box, which prevented the latter from being able to challenge for the ball.

Despite VAR looking at the incident, it claimed that the level of contract wasn’t impactful enough to warrant overturning the referee’s original decision, meaning the goal stood. It demonstrated some of the major inconsistencies with VAR within the same game.

VAR sides with Arsenal

Arsenal’s fourth goal against Leeds United was briefly checked by VAR for a possible handball by William Saliba in the build-up to Jurrien Timber’s brace.

VAR stuck with the on-pitch decision and the goal stood as accidental handball is only an automatic offence if it is by the goal-scorer – in this case Timber rather than Saliba. Saliba’s act had to either be deliberate or his arm needed to be in an unnatural position for the goal to be ruled out.

In the dying seconds of the game, 15-year-old sensation Max Dowman’s nimble footwork inside the box saw him brought down by Leeds’ Anton Stach, with the referee immediately pointing to the spot.

Replays showed that Stach had caught the winger’s trailing foot and, despite contact being minimal, VAR backed the referee's original decision, with Viktor Gyokeres firing in the penalty to score his second of the game.

Emi Martinez gets lucky

Brentford had a second goal chalked off during their 1-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday. Mikkel Damsgaard fired in a loose ball after a long throw but referee Tony Harrington disallowed it for a foul by Nathan Collins on goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez beforehand.

VAR official Tim Wood checked the call but did not intervene, sticking with the on-field no-goal ruling, believing Martinez had been impeded. The determining factor seemed to be that Collins had moved towards Martinez but the call was soft, especially when considering whatSaliba got away with against United on matchday one.

Anthony Gordon’s marching orders

Late in the first half of Liverpool’s dramatic win away at Newcastle, winger Gordon flew into Van Dijk from behind as the centre-back was playing a pass. Referee Simon Hooper initially showed Gordon a yellow card, but he was instructed by VAR to take another look at the challenge on the pitchside monitor.

Hooper ultimately decided to overturn his decision, showing Gordon a straight red for "serious foul play", after his tackle was deemed high. "After VAR review, the referee overturned his on-field decision of a yellow card to Anthony Gordon," the Premier League Match Centre explained on social media.

They then quoted Hooper's explanation, which read: "After review, the Newcastle United number 10 commits a serious foul play challenge. The challenge is with speed and makes clear contact on the Liverpool number 4's calf. My final decision is red card to Newcastle United number 10."

Newcastle legend Alan Shearer agreed with Hooper's decision, writing on social media: "What a stupid challenge man. It's a red card all day."

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