VAR was wrong to intervene in the incident which caused Jack Grealish to be penalised for handball in the FA Cup final.
That is the view of former Premier League referee Mark Halsey, who feels the Manchester City and England star had been hard done by after conceding a penalty in the first half.
There was relief for Grealish and City at Wembley on Saturday, as they went on to win the final 2-1 despite Bruno Fernandes' equaliser from the penalty spot.
That 33rd-minute spot-kick came after a VAR intervention. Aaron Wan-Bissaka headed the ball into Grealish's arm from close range as the pair battled to reach a cross-field pass from Fernandes.
The match referee Paul Tierney initially waved away strong United appeals, but VAR called him to the monitor at the next break in play.
Halsey told Stats Perform: "The problem we have at present; we have got too many inconsistencies about when to get involved or when not to get involved.
"VAR is here to stay and I think it's a great tool because we have seen many goals given where the system has then put the flag up and we have seen goals ruled out when the flag hasn't gone up and the player has been just offside, so that is factual.
"But I'm seeing many subjective decisions being recommended for review – some being recommended, some not being recommended.
"Then we have some handballs given, some handballs not given, and some holding offences in the penalty area recommend for review, some not.
"Since Howard Webb has come in I think the consistency has improved, but there is still some inconsistency there, so there's a lot of work still to be done with VAR.
"It's simple – VAR should only get involved if it's a clear and obvious error, an absolute howler. That is when VAR has to get involved."
Asked specifically about the Grealish decision, Halsey added: "If you look at the game, that incident, that passage of play, was that a deliberate act? No.
"A player that deliberately moves his hand or arm towards the ball or if they are making themselves unnaturally bigger, then they run the risk of a handball being given against him.
"But were his arms in an unnatural or natural position for that passage of play? I've played the game at very, very high levels as a semi-professional – for me his arms for that passage of play were in a natural position.
"So I think we have a problem of understanding what is natural and what is unnatural. I don't think anybody knows anymore, do they?
"Paul Tierney is there [near the incident], he has seen it and he's not given it. On that situation, it is subjective.
"So is that clear enough and obvious error by Paul Tierney for VAR to get involved? For me, no, because Paul Tierney is in a great position. He has possibly seen it and he thinks, 'Well hang on I don't think that's deliberate, I think arms are in a natural position'.
"We don't know that because we don't hear the conversation, I'm just assuming. So VAR then gets involved and I question should David Coote have got involved.
"Was it correct in law? Perhaps if he's [Coote] is refereeing his opinion is [Grealish] has made himself bigger, and his arms are in the air, and it is an unnatural position.
"But Paul Tierney the on field referee doesn't give that. So was that clear enough and obvious enough for VAR to get involved? For me, no.
"The law is an ass – we need players involved as well because it's no criticism of the referee. It's the law that needs looking at. It is the same with offside, no one knows what is or what isn't and it's the same with handball.
"There is so much subjectivity involved in handball – we have seen some awful decisions regarding handball. So it's all over the place and difficult for referees because the way the law is worded and obviously they are unsure what is natural and what is unnatural with your arms."
For Halsey, the solution to the dilemma over the handball law is clear.
He said: "Back to how it used to be, that it has to be a deliberate act. Deliberate with your arm moving towards the ball.
"None of this unnatural or natural? Was his arm up in the air? Did you make yourself bigger? It's simple – ask was that a deliberate act of handling the ball?"
Victory for Premier League winners City gave them a seventh FA Cup triumph, with Saturday's Champions League final against Inter giving Pep Guardiola's men a chance to win the treble, a feat which would match rivals United's accomplishment in 1999.
Taylor proud of 'gritty' Man City display in Hammarby victory
Gareth Taylor was pleased with how his Manchester City players handled the atmosphere against Hammarby to secure their passage into the Champions League quarter-finals.
Khadija Shaw opened the scoring in the 31st minute before Ellen Wangerheim restored parity shortly after the interval with a finish from close range.
But Shaw continued her fine start to the campaign, scoring the winner to become City's all-time top scorer in the competition, surpassing Georgia Stanway and Janine Beckie (both six).
The result saw City make it to the last eight of the competition for the first time since 2021, though the encounter was far from comfortable at the Tele2 Arena on Thursday.
Hammarby ended the contest with an expected goals (xG) total of 2.15 compared to the visitors' 1.07, despite both sides having 14 shots throughout the match.
However, City maintained their unbeaten record against Swedish sides in the competitor (W6), and Taylor was proud of his side's "gritty" display in Stockholm.
“I’m really pleased. It was about qualification for us tonight," Taylor said.
"There were a couple of ways we could do it. Obviously, we knew a point was enough, but I don’t think the players were thinking that way.
“It was a really gritty performance on a really difficult on this pitch. It probably doesn’t look like that for the viewers at home watching it.
"But it was a really lively surface and we worked so hard.
“I felt there were some areas we could control the play better. I have to give credit to Hammarby, they were really aggressive.
"The referee was on our side a little bit in the first half and maybe not in the second.
“I’m really pleased and proud of the players, they really dug in tonight. You come away from a hostile environment with a win.”
Hurtig the hero after late goal sends Arsenal into Champions League quarters
Lina Hurtig's 89th minute winner ensured Arsenal progressed to the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League after edging Juventus 1-0 on Thursday.
After being frustrated for large parts of the encounter, Hurtig bundled home from close range after Martina Lenzini's poor clearance to book the Gunners' place in the last eight.
Despite Arsenal dominating the early exchanges, it was Juventus who had the first sight of goal, though Eva Schatzer's effort was easy for Daphne van Domselaar to gather.
In a first half that saw just two shots on target, both coming from the visitors, Renee Slegers' substitutes proved to be the difference for Arsenal.
Slegers introduced Beth Mead, Stina Blackstenius and Hurtig late on, with the latter somehow putting Kim Little's cross over the bar from five yards out.
However, the Swede would atone for her earlier error, combining with fellow substitute Blackstenius to net against her former club and send them out of the competition with two group games remaining.
Meanwhile, in Group D, Barcelona edged closer to the quarter-finals of the competition with a convincing 4-1 victory over St. Polten at the Generali Arena.
The reigning champions are still three points behind Manchester City following their 2-1 win over Hammarby, and know a win against the Swedes next month will see them progress.
Kika Nazareth opened the scoring in the 20th minute after capitalising on a mistake by Kamila Dubcova, notching her second nine minutes later from close range.
Barca found themselves three goals up at the break when Vicky Lopez netted her first goal in the competition to put the result beyond doubt.
There was also a landmark moment for Alexia Putellas, who netted her 200th goal for the club with a well-taken effort into the far corner.
Valentina Madl took some of the shine off an otherwise impressive display from the visitors, who have now taken their tally to 20 goals from their four matches in the competition.
Guardiola agrees two-year contract extension with Man City
Pep Guardiola will be Manchester City manager for at least two more seasons after 2024-25, after he signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday.
The 53-year-old was coming to the end of his City deal, which was due to expire at the end of the current campaign, but he has opted to remain at the Etihad Stadium.
The deal itself will take Guardiola's tenure at the club to over a decade, making him City's longest-serving manager since Les McDowall in 1963.
There had been suggestions that he may leave at the end of the season following the announcement that director of football Txiki Begiristain was on his way out.
Guardiola was strongly linked with the England job after Gareth Southgate resigned in the wake of their Euro 2024 final defeat, but the Football Association appointed Thomas Tuchel last month.
“Manchester City means so much to me," Guardiola said. “This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club.
“That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.
“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and, of course, the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.
“I have said this many times before, but I have everything a manager could ever wish for, and I appreciate that so much.
“Hopefully, now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus.”
Having been appointed in 2016, Guardiola is by some distance Manchester City's most successful manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies during his time at the club.
That list includes their first-ever Champions League triumph in 2023 and six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four on the spin.
He also boasts a 72.04% win percentage across all competitions, which is unsurprisingly the highest of any full-time City manager in history.
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