Two matches under scrutiny

The PGMOL, the referees’ body of the Premier League, acknowledged that VAR made two mistakes during the August 30 matchday. The controversial decisions came in Chelsea vs. Fulham and in the clash between Wolverhampton and Everton.

In the Chelsea vs. Fulham match, VAR disallowed what would have been the opening goal for Marco Silva’s side, citing a foul by Rodrigo Muñiz in midfield. An independent panel that reviews every VAR incident concluded that video referee Michael Salisbury should not have intervened and that field referee Rob Jones was wrong to overturn the goal. “The panel unanimously agrees that the original decision on the field should have stood, awarding the goal,” the report stated.

Wolves and Everton also involved

The second error occurred in Wolves’ 3-2 defeat to Everton. On that occasion, the home side should have been awarded a penalty after Iliman Ndiaye fouled Hugo Bueno inside the box. Three of the five panelists agreed that VAR referee Craig Pawson should have intervened and called the on-field referee to review the incident.

In total, the matchday recorded 35 VAR interventions, 33 of which were deemed correct. However, these two mistakes have once again fueled controversy in England. Last season, the same panel admitted 18 errors involving VAR in the Premier League, keeping alive the debate over the technology’s effectiveness.

Confidence in question

While acknowledging mistakes is part of ensuring transparency, it also highlights the pressure referees face each week. For fans and clubs, repeated errors in decisive moments continue to cast doubt on the reliability of a system designed to reduce controversy — but in English football, VAR remains a source of heated debate rather than certainty.