The Most Controversial VAR Decisions in Premier League History

When the Premier League introduced VAR in 2019, it was supposed to eliminate clear and obvious errors. Instead, it has created some of the most heated debates English football has ever seen.

From forgotten offside lines to missed red cards and goal-line technology failures, VAR has repeatedly dominated headlines, often overshadowing the football itself. Supporters have celebrated goals only to have them ruled out minutes later, while others have watched in disbelief as obvious fouls somehow escaped punishment.

Here are some of the most controversial VAR decisions in Premier League history, moments that sparked outrage, conspiracy theories and endless arguments in pubs, group chats and on social media.

Luis Diaz’s Perfectly Good Goal Ruled Out vs Tottenham (2023)

Perhaps the most infamous VAR mistake of the modern era.

During Liverpool’s clash with Tottenham Hotspur, Luis Diaz raced through and calmly finished past Guglielmo Vicario. The goal was incorrectly ruled out for offside despite Diaz clearly being onside.

The controversy exploded when audio later revealed a catastrophic communication breakdown between the referee and VAR officials. Darren England believed the on-field decision had been goal given, while the referee thought VAR had confirmed the offside call.

The result? Play restarted before the mistake could legally be corrected.

Liverpool eventually lost 2-1 in a match already filled with controversy, and PGMOL later issued a formal apology. It quickly became one of the defining examples of VAR human error rather than technological failure.

Rodri’s Handball vs Everton (2022)

Manchester City were clinging onto a 1-0 lead at Goodison Park when chaos erupted.

A bouncing ball clearly struck Rodri on the arm inside the penalty area, yet neither the referee nor VAR awarded Everton a penalty.

Fans, pundits and former referees were stunned. Even Rodri himself appeared shocked that the decision went in City’s favour.

The incident became even more significant because City went on to win the Premier League title by just one point over Liverpool. Everton, meanwhile, were dragged deeper into a relegation battle.

For many supporters, this was the moment trust in VAR completely collapsed.

Sheffield United’s “Ghost Goal” vs Aston Villa (2020)

One of the strangest moments in Premier League history.

Sheffield United should have been awarded a clear goal after Aston Villa goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland carried the ball over his own line. Astonishingly, goal-line technology failed to detect it.

Even more bizarrely, VAR did not intervene despite television replays clearly showing the ball had crossed the line.

Hawk-Eye later apologised, claiming all seven cameras were obstructed. Villa survived relegation by a single point that season, while Sheffield United were denied what could have been a crucial victory.

To this day, many fans still consider it the biggest technological failure English football has ever seen.

Ivan Toney’s Offside Goal vs Arsenal (2023)

Arsenal fans still rage about this one.

During a title race with Manchester City, Brentford equalised at the Emirates through Ivan Toney. The goal was eventually allowed to stand despite Christian Norgaard appearing offside in the build-up.

Later, PGMOL admitted VAR official Lee Mason had simply forgotten to draw the offside lines.

Forgotten. Not misinterpreted. Not marginal. Forgotten.

The dropped points proved massive in Arsenal’s title collapse, and the mistake led to even more scrutiny on VAR standards across the league.

Jordan Pickford’s Challenge on Virgil van Dijk (2020)

The Merseyside derby at Goodison Park produced one of the most controversial refereeing performances of the VAR era.

Early in the match, Jordan Pickford launched into a reckless challenge on Virgil van Dijk, causing a serious knee injury that effectively ended Van Dijk’s season.

No penalty was awarded because Van Dijk had already been flagged offside, but fans were furious that Pickford was not even shown a red card for dangerous play.

The decision created a bizarre loophole debate: could players effectively escape punishment for reckless challenges if the phase was eventually ruled offside?

Liverpool supporters certainly thought so.

Josh King’s Disallowed Goal vs Chelsea (2025)

One of the newest entries on the controversy list came in the 2025/26 season when Josh King had a goal ruled out against Chelsea after an extremely lengthy VAR review.

Fans were left furious by the inconsistency of the intervention, especially given similar physical challenges had gone unpunished elsewhere throughout the season.

The incident reignited criticism over how subjective VAR decisions have become, with supporters arguing that identical contacts are judged completely differently from week to week.

Even neutral fans were left confused over what actually constitutes a foul anymore.

Gabriel Avoids Red Card vs Erling Haaland (2025)

Arsenal’s clash with Manchester City in the 2025/26 season added another explosive chapter to the VAR debate.

Gabriel Magalhães appeared to make a deliberate movement towards Erling Haaland during an off-the-ball altercation, with many believing it warranted a red card for violent conduct.

VAR reviewed the incident but chose not to intervene.

Predictably, social media exploded. Rival fans accused Arsenal of benefiting from inconsistent officiating, while others argued the contact was minimal.

The incident perfectly summed up the modern VAR problem: even after multiple replays, fans still rarely agree on what the correct decision actually is.

Callum Wilson’s Disallowed Equaliser vs Arsenal

Another hugely controversial Arsenal-related VAR incident came when Callum Wilson thought he had scored a dramatic late equaliser, only for the goal to be ruled out following a VAR review.

Officials judged there had been a foul in the build-up, but many fans and pundits felt the contact was nowhere near enough to justify overturning the on-field decision.

What intensified the backlash was the inconsistency. Similar physical duels had been allowed throughout the season, yet this time VAR stepped in to disallow a crucial goal.

The lengthy review only added to the frustration inside the stadium, with supporters once again left confused over what level of contact actually constitutes a foul.

For many fans, the incident became another example of VAR creating controversy rather than removing it.

Has VAR Actually Improved Football?

That remains the biggest question.

Supporters were promised fewer mistakes, yet controversies seem bigger than ever. The technology itself is rarely the issue —it is the interpretation, communication and consistency of the officials using it.

Some fans still support VAR because it catches obvious offsides and errors that referees miss in real time. Others believe it has damaged the spontaneity and emotion that made football special in the first place.

What is certain is this: VAR has become as much a part of Premier League entertainment as the football itself.

And judging by the endless weekly debates, that is unlikely to change any time soon.