Match of the Day pundit Alan Shearer blistered VAR over its intervention for ruling out Ashley Barnes’ last-gasp equaliser for Burnley against Brentford.
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Scott Parker on Burnley's dramatic defeat to Brentford and late VAR controversy](https://www.burnleyexpress.net/sport/football/scott-parker-on-burnleys-dramatic-defeat-to-brentford-and-late-var-controversy-5615367 "Scott Parker on Burnley's dramatic defeat to Brentford and late VAR controversy")
The substitute thought he had rescued the Clarets a point deep into stoppage-time after he rifled home inside the Bees box.
But VAR intervened and, following a 4 minute 38 second delay, referee Sam Barrott announced the ‘goal’ was to be chalked off for an apparent handball when he looked to chest the ball down.
Several replays from different angles have failed to provide a conclusive view, however, sparking confusion why and how the decision was reached.
It led to Shearer launching a passionate attack on VAR and the handball rules, while also referencing the first goal Burnley had disallowed earlier in the game.
“We should be talking about Mikkel Damsgaard and how brilliant he was, with his two goals and his assist and everything else, but unfortunately we’re sat talking about VAR, about the decisions and how long they’ve taken,” he told presenter Gabby Logan.
"Yes, it is offside, just, but it’s taken too long, it’s taken nearly three minutes to get to this decision.
Referee Sam Barrott talks with Ashley Barnes at the full-time whistle (Photo by Molly Darlington/Getty Images)placeholder image
Referee Sam Barrott talks with Ashley Barnes at the full-time whistle (Photo by Molly Darlington/Getty Images)
"As for the second decision, it’s taken nearly five minutes to get to this decision. The ball goes in and they do really well, but...it’ just feels wrong. It doesn’t feel right.
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"I hate the handball law anyway. I know it’s different if it’s the goalscorer and if it hits his hand, it has to be disallowed.
"But I asked five of us in a room today: ‘are you absolutely certain, looking at all the angles that we have seen, that it’s hit his arm?’ and four of the guys said: ‘no, I’m not 100 per cent certain’.
"Yet it’s taken five minutes to get to that decision, which doesn’t sit well with me. They’re sat there forensically studying that for nearly five minutes to decide whether it’s hit his hand or not.”
When asked how the law should be simplified, Shearer added: “It would be very simple if you say it’s deliberate handball or not. That is pretty simple to me.
"That, for me, is just accidental. It looks as if it does [hit his arm], but I’m not 100 per cent certain. But for me the handball law is an absolute mess, they’ve tied themselves up in knots.”
Fellow pundit Ashley Williams, meanwhile, pointed out the farcical nature of taking almost five minutes to determine whether it was a clear and obvious error from Barrott to award the goal.
"I actually think he’s actually trying to get his hand out of the way,” he said.
"Maybe it does touch his hand, but if’s taken them that long, then it’s not clear and obvious, is it? Because if it was clear and obvious you’d come to the decision pretty quickly.”
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