Breaking News: After Chelsea vs Man City referee ‘stitched up’ by VAR as rule change called for

Anthony Taylor made two penalty kicks during Sunday’s hectic 4-4 stalemate between Chelsea and Manchester City.

Former Premier League referee Keith Hackett has demanded that the wording of the VAR regulations be changed because he believes the decision to award Manchester City a penalty in their 4-4 draw with Chelsea “stitched up” Anthony Taylor. A 90-minute thriller between Chelsea and City took place at Stamford Bridge, and it has the potential to become an immediate classic in the Premier League.

Both teams initiated an offensive from the very first siren of the action-packed match, but the contest was not devoid of drama. The most disputed moment occurred during the first half when City were awarded a penalty after VAR upheld Taylor’s ruling that Marc Cucurella should be penalized for impeding Erling Haaland in the penalty area.

Although replays suggested that both players were tugging at one another’s shirts, VAR appeared to be preoccupied with Cucurella’s action when the ball entered the box. Although Taylor had indicated the penalty, VAR maintained the on-field determination, and City gained the upper hand through Haaland’s penalty kick.

Hackett believes that the VAR official’s absence of a “clear and obvious” error contributed to the decision not being overturned. However, the 79-year-old opposes the rule, arguing that it impedes the rectification of certain decisions.

“Taylor, one of the best referees in the country, pointed to the spot without hesitation, but I believe he needed another look,” he wrote for the Telegraph. Herein lies the difficulty I experience with the VAR.

“What Taylor saw from his vantage point is unknown; he probably did not witness Haaland’s contact, but he did capture Cucurella’s foul. Taylor should have been informed by the VAR that he required a second look at the incident.

“Had he approached the pitchside monitor, I am convinced he would have assessed Haaland a foul rather than the penalty.” In this situation, Taylor appears to have been patched up by VAR. This ‘clear and evident’ mantra, which I believe has contributed to the confusion and erroneous decision-making in matches and has rendered VAR difficult to comprehend, should be abandoned.

“VARs that function in a “clear and apparent” manner result in contradictory messages, which serves no purpose. Eliminate that proverb to achieve greater clarity in your communication. Taylor should have been granted the opportunity to review his decision by the VAR, as there was sufficient evidence from all other perspectives to imply that Haaland had actually committed the initial offense.

“Why did the VAR review of the penalty decision take so long? This is due to their investigation into the existence of numerous potential offenses besides Cucurella’s.”