Alan Shearer agreed with the unacceptable standard of officiating on display at Villa Park, claiming that this was evidence of the “damage which VAR has done to referees”.
“I would just like the officials to do their job properly. That’s all,” Shearer continued. “Not too much to ask is it? For five or six months they’ve been reliant on VAR. Then they’re coming into this situation now and it all changes.”
While winning manager Eddie Howe was reluctant to throw his full support behind VAR but indicated its importance in avoiding mistakes of the likes seen on Saturday.
“I think there's an argument to say yes [they are reliant], because when VAR is there, there's always a, ‘Well, I won't give that, but let's check it’,” he said.
“And I think then your decision-making maybe isn't as sharp as it may normally have to be so maybe there's a difference there. I would probably say, you're right in that respect.
“I'm always torn on VAR. I said this many times because I still love the emotion, even tonight, when a goal is given, or when a goal goes in and you don't see a flag or a referee, it's a goal, and no one's going to take it away from you, that sense and that emotion, that joy that you get in that moment, I still really love that, and VAR takes it away.
“But then on the other side, I was wishing there was VAR on the first goal against us, and probably throughout that game!”