Premier League referee doesn’t make the big decisions and uses VAR as backup, suggests former top ref Mark Halsey

CHELSEA felt aggrieved when Axel Disasi’s stoppage-time winner was disallowed in the 2-2 draw with Aston Villa.

But I was baffled why VAR got involved because it wasn’t a clear and obvious error.

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Referee Craig Pawson had a great view of the incident, he was looking directly at both players and allowed play to continue.

If Pawson thought it was a foul by Benoit Badiashile on Diego Carlos then why didn’t he award a free-kick straight away?

I felt it was a foul but Pawson had to give it in real time and then there wouldn’t have been a fuss afterwards.

My big problem with this incident is it’s a classic case of technology re-refereeing a game and not what VAR is there for.

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VAR official Chris Kavanagh recommended an on-field review and Pawson changed his mind.

I’ve watched Pawson for a long time and he does not seem to make the big decisions and uses VAR as a back-up.

Although we got the right decision, the process of how we got there is not how we should be operating VAR in the Premier League.

Chelsea stars protested madly at the end of their 2-2 draw with Aston Villa and had to be pushed away from Pawson by the Blues coaching staff.

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Badiashile and Madueke were fuming with the referee and linesmen following the final whistle and had to be restrained by coaches.

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Chelsea's penalty chaos

MAURICIO POCHETTINO has been tearing his hair out watching Chelsea's stars fight over penalties again and again. Here are all their spot kick lowlights

1. CHELSEA 2-2 ARSENAL (23rd October, 2023)
   
   GOAL Raheem Sterling immediately picks up the ball to take Chelsea's spot kick before Cole Palmer approaches. Enzo Fernandez intervenes to give the ball to Palmer, who sends David Raya the wrong way to score.
   
2. CHELSEA 4 LEICESTER CITY 2 (17th March, 2024)
   
   MISS Raheem Sterling wins a penalty and this time is handed the ball by Palmer. However, he fires it down the middle and sees his kick comfortably saved. Leicester later recover to 2-2 from 2-0 down and Sterling is booed every time he touches the ball by a section of the home crowd.
   
3. CHELSEA 4 MANCHESTER UNITED 3 (4th April, 2024)
   
   GOAL Noni Madueke makes an audacious attempt to take the ball off Palmer after winning a 98th minute penalty with the Blues 3-2 down but is pulled away by Trevoh Chalobah. Palmer sends Andre Onana the wrong way before scoring a winner two minutes later.
   
4. CHELSEA 6 EVERTON 0 (15th April, 2024)
   
   GOAL Madueke picks up the ball immediately after Chelsea are awarded a penalty at 4-0 up, but a furious Nicolas Jackson rushes in wanting to take the kick and shoves the winger. Captain Conor Gallagher has to intervene to give the ball to Palmer, who scores. Pochettino blasts his team's behaviour as "like being at school".

Madueke was evidently still fuming with the decision when probed by the BBC post-match.

He said: "Should it have been three points? Yes."

Madueke, 22, added: "Do I think the goal should have stood? Yes. Nothing else to say about the situation."

Manager Mauricio Pochettino also bemoaned the intervention of VAR after the game, saying: "Well VAR changed the decision of the referee.

"That was for me a normal challenge that can happen in normal action.

"That damaged a little bit the Premier League and its image.

"It's damaged myself, damaged my team, damaged my players, my fans, damaged football."