Alan Shearer has slammed VAR's lack of consistency after a controversial decision helped Arsenal secure a crucial 1-0 victory over West Ham, a result that could have massive implications for both the Premier League title race and the relegation battle.
The drama unfolded in stoppage time when West Ham thought they had snatched a priceless equalizer through Callum Wilson. However, the goal was disallowed after a lengthy VAR review, with official Darren England sending referee Chris Kavanagh to the monitor to penalize a foul by Pablo on Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya. The four-minute delay left players, fans, and pundits alike on edge.
Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, Shearer joined Gary Lineker and Micah Richards in agreeing that the officials likely made the correct call, but he couldn't hide his frustration over the ongoing inconsistency in decision-making. "I guess some people will think it was a foul, some won’t, some will think, 'Where on earth is the consistency?' because we’re seeing something like that every single week," said the Premier League's all-time top scorer.
Shearer pointed to a similar incident from the previous week involving Manchester City's Bernardo Silva, where a clear holding offense went unpunished by VAR. "I do think it was a foul, but I also think the one at Everton last week with Bernardo Silva, when that was given as holding, clearly—where was VAR for that one?" he questioned.
The former England captain didn't mince words about the delays, either. "We’re having this discussion all the time. They’re taking far too long. I know it’s a hugely important decision, but so is every decision. Every fan will give you a screenshot of a similar incident that’s happened this season, and they probably didn’t get the foul. That’s where the anger comes from."
Gary Lineker echoed those sentiments, acknowledging the difficulty of the call while noting the broader issues. "It was probably a foul, but that’s not quite what they are supposed to be, is it? If I were a West Ham fan—or indeed a Manchester City fan—I think I’d be a little bit angry, because there was a lot of fouling going on at that corner. There was a lot of grappling by Arsenal players on the West Ham attackers. I know goalkeepers are protected more than anyone else, and it was probably a foul on him, but do you look at what happened before when people are being held, which is probably a more obvious foul?"
The decision proved costly for West Ham, who were denied a point in their fight to stay up, while Arsenal held on to maintain their five-point lead over Manchester City at the summit. For fans watching from the stands or at home, this latest VAR controversy only adds fuel to the ongoing debate about technology's role in the beautiful game.