Referees chief Howard Webb says airing conversations between match officials and VARs concerning key Premier League incidents is likely to become a regular event.
Webb talked through some of the two-way audio discussions from this season on Monday evening during a pilot feature alongside Sky Sports pundits Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher.
Incidents dissected by the trio included disallowed goals for Chelsea’s Kai Havertz and Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard against Liverpool and Leicester, respectively, plus the overturning of a penalty for an adjudged handball by Gunners defender Jakub Kiwior in last weekend’s 2-0 win at Newcastle.
“We’re looking to do this as much as we possibly can and obviously tonight is something new,” said Webb, the chief refereeing officer at Professional Game Match Officials Limited.
“We’re making a small step forward. Going forward into next season, we will be looking to do more of the same.
“We can’t play it live, that’s not allowed in the laws of the game, FIFA don’t allow us to play this out during the game. Who knows where that might go in the future?
“But there’s nothing to stop us doing what we’re doing tonight and showing it later.
“I hope tonight has been a good insight as we’ve drawn that curtain back to reveal the way the officials work together as a team and some of the rationale for some of the decisions that have been taken.
“We’ve tried to show you a range of situations and going forward we’re looking to do more of the same.”
Incidents selected for the programme almost unanimously reflected favourably on the use of VAR.
Viewers could hear ongoing dialogue between on-field officials and those at Stockley Park as decisions were debated and reviewed.
Other incidents analysed were the overturning of an offside against Joelinton in Newcastle’s 5-1 win at West Ham last month and a penalty given to Brentford in their 2-0 success over Bournemouth in January.
The spot-kick – awarded by referee Jarred Gillett for Marcos Senesi’s adjudged tug on Ivan Toney – was the only contentious incident analysed.
Webb admitted the decision was incorrect as Bees striker Toney had initially fouled Cherries defender Senesi. He blamed process rather than judgement due to the footage reviewed by VAR not beginning early enough.
“In this situation, we see a foul by Ivan Toney on Senesi just before Senesi puts his arm across Ivan Toney,” said Webb.
“It was checked by the VAR but actually this was an issue around process really where the sequence the VAR looked at didn’t start early enough, it didn’t quite show how that contact came to happen, it was already happening when he started to look at it.
“It’s a matter of process, as opposed to judgement, on this one. This should have been penalised with a free-kick to Bournemouth.
“We’ve got to get it right as VAR. We’ve got this tool to see this and it’s clear and therefore we should step in.”
Everton shareholders demand a decision on takeover
Everton shareholders have urged Farhad Moshiri and the Premier League to make a decision on the future of the club.
The Toffees, who have been hit with two separate points deductions this season due to previous financial discrepancies, secured their Premier League status in April by beating Nottingham Forest, Liverpool and Brentford in the space of six days.
However, Everton remain in turmoil off the pitch, with majority shareholder Moshiri wanting out. He is aiming to sell the club to 777 Partners, a Miami-based investment firm that has stakes in several other clubs, including Genoa and Standard Liege.
There is no lack of controversy surrounding 777, though, and their co-founders Josh Wander and Steve Pasko.
It has been close to eight months since Moshiri confirmed his intention to sell his 94.1 per cent stake in Everton to 777, but so far the group has been unable to pass the Premier League's Owners' and Directors test.
While 777 has pumped over £200million into Everton to fund the day-to-day running of the club, it has now the subject of multiple lawsuits.
One of these lawsuits is by Leadenhall Capital Partners LLP and Leadenhall Life Insurance Linked Investments Fund plc, in New York.
Leadenhall claims Pasko and Wander "are operating a giant shell game at best, and an outright Ponzi scheme at worst".
On Tuesday, Everton's shareholders released a statement condemning the situation.
The statement read: "We are the oldest shareholders’ association in the world and are dismayed by the lack of respect being shown to our football club by the largest shareholder, Farhad Moshiri, and the Premier League during what seems a never-ending change of ownership process.
"We have observed with concern and frustration as it became increasingly clear that a fit-for-purpose process cannot possibly take this long as the Premier League continues to demonstrate their inability to regulate.
"In the absence of the Premier League making a timely decision we insist that the Everton board, and Farhad Moshiri in particular, stop this damaging process now and recognise that 777 Partners are not at this time fit-and-proper prospective owners of Everton Football Club.
"The powers that be are being disrespectful to our fellow shareholders, our fantastic worldwide fanbase and football as a whole by continuing to allow this farce to continue. We demand a decision and we demand it now."
Everton face Sheffield United on Saturday before rounding out their season with a trip to Arsenal.
Thiago Silva to rejoin Fluminense when Chelsea contract expires
Thiago Silva will return to his boyhood club Fluminense when he leaves Chelsea at the end of the season, the Blues have announced.
Silva joined Chelsea from Paris Saint-Germain in 2020 and has made 152 appearances for the club, helping them win the Champions League, Club World Cup and Super Cup.
The 39-year-old confirmed last month that he would leave upon the expiration of his contract in June, pledging to return "in another role" when his playing days are over.
However, that will not be for some time as the centre-back has agreed a two-year contract with Fluminense, who he first joined as a 14-year-old in 1998.
Initially finding opportunities hard to come by with the Rio de Janeiro giants, he had spells with Pedrabranca, Juventude and Dynamo Moscow before returning to Fluminense – initially on loan – in 2006.
He made his name with the club before joining Milan in a €10million deal in 2009, with that move kickstarting the defender's glittering career in European football.
Silva announced he was returning to Brazil on Instagram, posting an image of himself in a Fluminense shirt alongside the caption: "I'm coming home".
Chelsea said Silva will be allowed to train with Fluminense as soon as the Premier League season is over, before becoming eligible to represent the Brazilian side on July 1.
It was feared Silva may already have played his final game for Chelsea when he suffered a groin injury during their 2-2 draw with Aston Villa last month, but he was named in the starting lineup as they thrashed West Ham 5-0 at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Silva has started 26 Premier League games for Chelsea this campaign, with the Blues conceding an average of 1.6 goals per game with him in their lineup, compared to two goals per match without him.
Man Utd keen to sell Greenwood amid Barcelona interest, claims Getafe president
Manchester United are keen to sell Mason Greenwood in the upcoming transfer window and could field interest from Barcelona, according to Getafe president Angel Torres.
Greenwood joined Getafe on a season-long loan deal in September and has scored eight goals and added six assists in 29 appearances in LaLiga in 2023-24.
Greenwood was arrested in January 2022 and was later charged with attempted rape and assault, with all charges against him dropped in February 2023.
United then conducted a six-month internal investigation into his conduct and said they recognised "the difficulties with him recommencing his career" with the club.
In February, speculation that Greenwood could yet return to Old Trafford was heightened when new minority shareholder Jim Ratcliffe said a "fresh decision" would be made on his future at the end of the season.
However, Getafe chief Torres claims the Red Devils are now keen to cash in on a player he hopes to keep at the Estadio Coliseum.
"If it depended on the player, his parents and the club, I think he would continue for another year," Torres said of Greenwood in an interview with RadioMARCA on Tuesday.
"Manchester United's idea is to sell if there is a good offer, we will have to wait. I think he will stay."
Reports had suggested both Atletico Madrid and Barcelona were considering a move for Greenwood, who is about to enter the final 12 months of his contract with United.
Torres claims Barca president Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco have been in touch about the 22-year-old, adding: "No one from Atleti has asked me about Greenwood.
"I spoke with [Atleti president] Miguel Angel [Gil Marin], but about other things. The only one who asked me about the player was Joan Laporta.
"I spoke with him and Deco and they asked me what he was like to get a sense of the player, but first they have to sell to buy, this is the problem with Spanish football."
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