Liverpool were beaten 2-1 by Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday and in the aftermath to that encounter, former Everton star Wayne Rooney wants the Premier League to make a radical change
Wayne Rooney wants VAR gone after what he saw at Anfield
Wayne Rooney wants VAR gone after what he saw at Anfield(Image: 2025 James Gill - Danehouse)
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Wayne Rooney wants the Premier League to get rid of VAR, blasting the system as "terrible" and insisting it's ruining the game.
Rooney has let rip in the wake of the chaos at the end of Sunday's Liverpool vs Manchester City clash at Anfield, and Rayan Cherki's disallowed goal deep into injury time.
A thrilling clash ended in farce, as Cherki's goal from insisde his own half was ruled out. Referee Craig Pawson had initially waved play on when Dominik Szoboszlai fouled Erling Haaland as he raced after the goal-bound ball, before Haaland then fouled the Hungarian when he looked likely to reach Cherki's effort and clear.
Pawson initially looked happy to give the goal, before VAR intervened, disallowing Cherki's effort and instead opting to send off Szoboszlai. He now misses Liverpool's midweek encounter at Sunderland.
According to the laws of the game - in their current guise anyway - the correct decision was reached, even if lacking a little in common sense.
However former Manchester United, Everton and England star Rooney still believes radical action is necessary, and that VAR needs to go.
He told the 'Wayne Rooney Show': "Yeah, it's definitely the right decision in the end, but it's obviously frustrating. Once you look at the rules, you understand why it's given (the free kick), but it just takes out all the passion.
"I think I'd prefer not to have VAR, because I think it's terrible. I think it gets good decisions, of course it does, but when it gets big decisions wrong, in this case it hasn't, but when it gets big decisions wrong, then I just think it's there to get decisions right.
"Ultimately, it needs to be doing that more than what it is, in my opinion. I've lost the Premier League title on goal difference, so that (ruled out) goal might make a big difference.
"It was a fun moment - and it's obviously been taken away from us."
Liverpool now visit the Stadium of Light on Wednesday, where Regis Le Bris' Sunderland have not lost all season. According to Reds skipper Virgil van Dijk, "we need better performances and finding ways to win."
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