Managers and pundits alike questioned VAR decisions after two Premier League fixtures left teams feeling hard done by.
Leeds 0-1 Sunderland
Officials: Referee Stuart Attwell; assistants Constantine Hatzidakis, Hristo Karaivanov; fourth official John Busby; VAR Paul Tierney; AVAR Ian Hussin.
Incident 1: Early in the match, Luke O’Nien appeared to grab Pascal Struijk by the neck inside Leeds’ penalty area. Referee Stuart Attwell did not award a penalty on the field. Sky Sports News reports that VAR reviewed the moment but concluded there was no clear and obvious error to overturn the on-field decision.
Reaction: Leeds manager Daniel Farke, who seldom criticises officials, said VAR had failed and that the incident was as clear as they come. Former players including Michael Dawson and Jermaine Beckford also condemned the lack of intervention, calling the decision unacceptable.
Incident 2: In the second half, VAR recommended an on-field review after Wilson Isidor’s shot deflected onto Leeds captain Ethan Ampadu’s arm. Attwell went to the pitchside monitor and ultimately awarded a penalty, describing his final decision as a deliberate handball by Leeds’ No. 4. Habib Diarra converted the spot-kick — Sunderland’s only shot on target of the game.
Reaction: Farke acknowledged the award, noting the handball looked instinctive from a key player and lamenting his team’s luck. Dawson disagreed, calling the penalty very harsh and questioning whether there was a deliberate movement. At the time of reporting, a majority of Sky Sports readers viewed the penalty as the wrong call.
Bournemouth 0-0 Brentford
Officials: Referee Craig Pawson; assistants Lee Betts, Mat Wilkes; fourth official David Webb; VAR Darren England; AVAR Simon Bennett.
Incident: Marcus Tavernier burst past Brentford defender Michael Kayode and was clipped on the Achilles before his shot struck the post. VAR Darren England reviewed the sequence but no penalty was awarded; the Premier League match centre provided no further explanation.
Reaction: Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola criticised both referee Craig Pawson and VAR, saying the decision was checked and dismissed in seconds despite being clear to his side. Tavernier said he felt contact to his arm and Achilles and was disappointed VAR ‘waved the incident away.’
Summary: Both matches sparked fresh debate about VAR consistency and the threshold for overturning referees’ calls. While one camp argues clear penalties were missed, others defend marginal, reviewed decisions — leaving supporters and managers calling for clearer standards on when VAR should intervene.