What VAR said about CONTROVERSIAL Liverpool penalty decision

Does anyone still like VAR? The decision to introduce video referees to football keeps going from bad to worse, with no end in sight.

The only person VAR seems to keep happy is former Premier League referee Mike Dean, who backs whatever decision is eventually made, usually a couple of minutes after saying the exact opposite.

Every weekend in the Premier League, there are controversial refereeing calls which end up being looked at by VAR, with the usual outcome being to overrule the referee – after taking far too long to do so.

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This weekend was no different, with big VAR decisions being made in games involving Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City.

Carragher: 'Chelsea are fortunate'

Referee John Brooks' performance during Liverpool's win over Chelsea left a lot to be desired, with both clubs feeling major decisions should have gone their way.

In the first half, Curtis Jones was denied a second penalty after VAR overruled Brooks' decision to award Liverpool a spot kick following a rash challenge by Robert Sanchez.

The Chelsea goalkeeper recklessly went in to tackle Jones, getting a touch on the ball but flipping the Liverpool midfielder over in the process. Brooks gave a penalty but changed his mind after watching it back.

The decision confused both Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville on Sky Sports.

Jamie Carragher felt the Chelsea shot-stopper was fortunate. "Chelsea are fortunate because the referee gave the penalty on the pitch," he said.

"I think it's one that goes either way, there's definitely an angle where it's not a penalty. This [the angle facing Jones' back] is one where you can see it getting overturned, it looks like a block tackle and Jones goes flying over.

"It's so messy," Gary Neville added. "It's a really strange action from Sanchez, there's a little bit of something there and I think that might bring VAR in. It's fortunate, Maresca is going to get away with it...

"Well, what the VAR has said [is], 'Sanchez's contact kicks it against Jones and Jones' left leg kicks the ball forward.'

"That's the angle that brought it home that here was contact with the ball. It's still really clumsy work from Sanchez though, so unorthodox the way he commits towards the ball and towards Curtis Jones."

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'VAR shouldn't have interfered'

Slot was disappointed with the decision, saying it could have been a crucial moment.

"It's not so important any more because we won, but I think it could have been a crucial decision for the VAR to overturn the referee's decision on the pitch, which I couldn't understand," Slot told Sky Sports.

"I think if the referee looks at it for a minute, it already shows that the VAR shouldn't have interfered. Even, in my opinion, if you look at it on the screen you still feel it's a penalty.

"Then there was the possible decision of the red card, which I saw yesterday was a red card in a similar situation," added Slot, on Brooks' decision not to send off Tosin Adarabioyo after a challenge on Diogo Jota.

"Big decisions because penalties or red cards influence the game a lot, but it's also nice that these moments are inside the game because it also creates a lot of energy.

"The fans really stood up today as well, they helped us a lot and that probably comes from these decisions as well, because they're just as biased as I am. In the end a good win against a very strong Chelsea."

While Liverpool didn't need the 'help' of VAR to come out on top in the end, it's clear that once again this season will be one that could be decided by those marginal decisions made in a small room in Stockley Park.