[Reuters]In the 84th minute of Everton's game against West Ham the Premier League match centre confirmed it.

The explanation was: "The referee's call of no penalty was checked and confirmed by VAR – with it deemed that Mateus Fernandes accidentally handled the ball while grappling with the opponent."

An interesting take, given at the start of the 2025-26 season it was stated Premier League referees were likely to award more penalties in a tougher response to players who grapple and hold opponents in the penalty area, with VAR expressly instructed to be more proactive to intervene against 'non-footballing' action.

I've seen some terrible handball decisions not given for Everton in my time (honourable mention for Rodri at Goodison Park in 2022) but this was right up there. Not only does the 'grappling' involve Fernandes wrapping both arms around Everton's striker to pull him away from the ball, he also then attempts to play a different sport, slapping it with his hand.

Given the importance of the game to not only Everton's European ambitions, but to all teams in the relegation battle, it really prompts the question – what is the point of VAR any more?

Time and time again the officials can't get decisions right and it is killing any spontaneity in the grounds. It was a struggle to celebrate the second time Everton put the ball in the net in the Merseyside derby for fear it was about to get chalked off.

A recent survey by the Football Supporter's Association found three-quarters of those fans surveyed were against the use of VAR. It feels increasingly fair to say it persistently fails to uphold its own standards while draining our beloved game of any raw, unfiltered emotion. A system designed to bring clarity is instead undermining trust. In the end, it has become less a tool for justice and more a source of confusion and frustration.