This archive report was first published on 12 August 2019.
On the weekend, the Premier League witnessed the first use of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in a match, leaving fans and experts alike bewildered.
VAR, previously used in England in the FA and League Cups, aims to eliminate any doubt over key decisions such as goals, penalties, and other crucial moments.
However, the system's introduction was marred by several contentious calls, including a penalty retaken by Manchester City's Sergio Aguero due to encroachment by defenders in their 5-0 win over West Ham.
Wolverhampton Wanderers' Leander Dendoncker had a goal disallowed after the ball struck team-mate Willy Boly on the arm before he scored.
Wolves captain Conor Coady reacted to the situation by saying, "We are going to have to play with our hands chopped off in future,".
Former England striker Alan Shearer took issue with the lack of transparency, stating that fans inside the stadium should be able to hear the conversation between officials and the VAR referee.
Shearer wrote in his column for The Sun, "What would be a massive improvement for me would be if the fans could actually hear what the referee is hearing from the VAR officials."
TV viewers, on the other hand, see the images being studied by the VAR referee but cannot hear the conversation between officials.
Former leading English referee Keith Hackett concurred about the need for more transparency, suggesting that the Premier League should publish a breakdown of all VAR checks made during a match and play video footage on the big screen inside the grounds.
