Manchester United now has a new name Varchester United due to continuing favorable calls by VAR referees. Reports show that Manchester United has benefited so much since VAR was initiated into the premier league match. The VAR was supposed to help the referees to make better decisions. However, the decision-makers behind VAR are obviously favoring one team.
In their quest of securing Champions League places, Manchester United has been been the highest beneficiary of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).
From the record of seven goals disallowed against Ole Gunnar Solksjaer‘s men this season, which is the highest in the Premier League, rival teams have questioned some of the decisions.
There have been fuming about Jordan Ayew’s goal against them being disallowed and Wilfried Zaha wasn’t awarded a first-half penalty when fouled by Victor Lindelof. Ayew’s strike in the second-half was ruled off for a marginal offside.
Manchester United favoured with critical decisions
The technology which was introduced to the Premier League recently put United on top of the list of teams that have seen more VAR decisions go their way this season with seven opposition goals against United being cancelled including penalties. Overall, 10 decisions have gone in United’s favour with two against.
According to an analysis done by the ESPN Only two VAR adjudications have gone against the Reds all season when it comes to disallowing goals or overturning on-pitch penalty decisions.
Another talking point in the VAR decision was against Liverpool in October, when Sadio Mane’s goal ruled out for handball, while in the reverse fixture at Anfield in January Roberto Firmino’s goal didn’t count after David de Gea was fouled by Virgil van Dijk.
However, United’s win over Chelsea in February came with another VAR controversy. The Blues saw two goals were disallowed by the technology. The first was Kurt Zouma’s goal was ruled out after Cesar Azpilicueta fouled Brandon Williams, with Olivier Giroud goal disallowed for offside.
Watford would have scored at the Old Trafford but a goal scored by Troy Deeney was wiped after Craig Dawson handled in the build-up. At the Goodison Park, Everton’s late goal from Gylfi Sigurdsson was disallowed for offside.
United were awarded two penalty decisions by VAR during their win at Norwich in October – one for a foul and one for handball. They also got one at Manchester City in December after Bernardo Silva was adjudged to have fouled Marcus Rashford.
The two VAR calls that went against United came against Arsenal in September when a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang goal originally ruled out for offside stood after a check. After the restart, Man Utd was awarded another spot-kick against Tottenham for a foul on Bruno Fernandes, but it was overturned.
One of the most criticized spot kick was Man United’s opener against Aston Villa when Fernandez appeared to have tripped the defender, but the penalty was awarded to the Red Devils.
United’s tally this season is the joint-most in the Premier League along with Brighton and Southampton, one ahead of Tottenham’s six.
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