Mark Clattenburg has exclusively told TBR Football about his feelings on the state of refereeing in the Premier League nowadays.
The 2025/26 Premier League season has started badly for the officials, who wrongly disallowed an Eberechi Eze goal against Chelsea, and also caused outrage after chalking off a strike for Fulham against the Blues at Stamford Bridge recently.
Leny Yoro also should have been penalised for a push before scoring for Manchester United in a 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage.
Mark Clattenburg has now commented on the standard of Premier League officiating, speaking to TBR Football following an outburst from Alan Shearer on The Rest Is Football podcast.
Exclusive: Mark Clattenburg feels referees in the Premier League need more training
After Josh King bizarrely saw his goal for Fulham against Chelsea disallowed, the aforementioned Shearer ranted: “You’re not going to re-referee, you’re not going to interfere and it’s only for the clear and obvious. Three things. Where have those three things gone? It’s bulls***. What has happened to the game? Tell me, what’s happened to those three things, please.
“Howard Webb, you’re in charge, tell us what has happened to those three things because every single game you’re re-refereeing and you’re interfering, and you’re overturning decisions which are not clear and obvious.”
In response, Clattenburg has told TBR Football: “Personally (I feel) Alan Shearer makes some valid points on the criteria that was set by the PGMOL and the use of VAR. When there is a decision that nobody agrees with, the PGMOL will hide behind (the argument) that the decision was not a clear and obvious error, or they do not want to re-referee the match.
“This season, the VAR’s are now doing the opposite and re-refereeing the match, especially in light of the disallowed Fulham goal v Chelsea. In the past, Howard Webb has apologised to other clubs as well – as he did with Fulham at the weekend – which I believe sets a dangerous precedent. Why did he feel the need to apologise to Fulham?
“There are other clubs who have been wronged this season, as well as last season, and did not get the same apology. Howard Webb was a top referee and started his management of refereeing in MLS (Major League Soccer) in America. MLS is very different to the Premier League in terms of exposure and his style of management needs to be different.
“It’s clear there is a need for more coaching and training of referees and VAR’s to get more consistency and this can only be done at the training centre or online meetings. It’s also clear there’s a lack of numbers of officials at the top level and we are now seeing more referees becoming a VAR specialist. Let’s see referees manage the games and give the important decisions again, and not rely on VAR.”
Clattenburg oversaw 297 Premier League games during his career, and the standard of officiating never felt as low as it does right now – the technology has arguably made referees worse.
What Alan Shearer said when VAR was introduced to the Premier League
It was actually Shearer who was asked to introduce VAR to the Premier League back in August 2019, with the division’s record goalscorer talking fans through a number of key points.
They were as follows.
“The Premier League is setting a high bar for VAR involvement. The philosophy is minimum interference, maximum benefit, keeping the pace and passion we all know and love.”
Worst of all, the Premier League boldly claimed that “most of the time, you won’t even notice” – which has turned out to be a total lie.
With plenty of problems occurring just three games into the 2025/26 campaign, something desperately needs to change.