playAndy DaviesMultiple AuthorsOct 11, 2026, 03:49 PM ETOpen Extended ReactionsThe video assistant referee causes controversy every week, whether it be the Premier League, Champions League or FA Cup, but how are those decisions made and are they correct?For the 2026-27 season, we are taking a look at the major incidents to explain the process in terms of both VAR protocol and the laws of the game. The most surprising, controversial and complicated decisions will be examined all season long right here.Was Gravenberch wrongly sent off in Liverpool-Man City?Liverpool 0-3 Man City (Oct. 11)Referee: Chris Kavanagh VAR: Paul Howard Time: 62 minutes Incident: Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch sent off for a second yellow card at a key stage in the matchWhat happened: Having already received a yellow card early in the match, Gravenberch fouled City’s Jérémy Doku and received a second yellow card from Kavanagh.RYAN GRAVENBERCH RED CARD. Ryan Gravenberch’s tackle on Jérémy Doku sees him earn a second yellow card, and he’s sent off. https://t.co/VlzXqzwDZ5— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) October 11, 2026 VAR review: Newly introduced into the Premier League this season, second yellow cards can now be reviewed by VAR, but only if they are factually incorrect, and this situation does not fit this category.Verdict and insight: Most won’t like this second yellow card decision, and it will be viewed as “soft.” However, Kavanagh was put into a difficult position by Gravenberch’s late, clumsy challenge on Doku, which clearly denied the Man City attacker a promising attack as he had clear opportunity to attack Liverpool in a positive area of the pitch. The subsequent yellow card was not a surprise.These situations are the worst type of situations for referees, because you really want a second-card offense to be undebatable and obvious to everyone.
Technical offenses can be questioned and heavily debated, regardless of whether the referee is correct in law.Gravenberch can feel aggrieved by his first yellow card. From the replays, it looks like the referee misjudged the contact made by the Liverpool midfielder on Elliot Anderson, and on reflection, a free kick alone would have been a better outcome. However, once a player is on a yellow card and challenges an opponent from behind, as Gravenberch did on Doku, the player is running a very high risk of receiving a second yellow if the challenge is a foul and has consequence.Liverpool will feel hard done by, but the second yellow card was a correct call from the referee.Should Man United have gotten a penalty at Fulham?Fulham 1-1 Man United (Sept. 20)Referee: Peter Bankes VAR: Nick Hopton Time: 86 minutes Incident: Possible penalty to Man United for a handballWhat happened: Man United’s Lisandro Martínez felt he should have earned a penalty when he fired the ball at Fulham defender Calvin Bassey from close range and the ball struck Bassey’s arm. The referee did not feel it was an offence and waved away the appeals for a penalty.VAR decision: VAR agreed with the referee’s interpretation of the incident, that the ball was struck at close range, defenders’ arms were close to his body and within bodyline and therefore not a handball offence.
VAR checked and cleared the on-filed decision as correct.Verdict and insight: While Man United might have wanted the penalty, this was a correct on-field decision by the refereeing team and non-intervention by VAR.This incident is a good example of how the handball law can create confusion in these types of situations. When the ball is struck at close range, the law is clear that the referee should allow play to continue if the player’s hand or arm movement is the result of a natural reflex to potentially protect the player’s face, and if such action does not make their body unnaturally bigger.Additionally, if arms are within the body line and the ball would have struck the body/face this should also be taken into consideration when applying this law.Bassey’s reaction falls within this interpretation and was a good read by the on-field assistant referee, who would have led the communication in this incident.Was Rice lucky not to be sent off at Brighton?Brighton & Hove Albion 3-0 Arsenal (Sept. 19)Referee: Darren England VAR: Tim Wood Time: 90 + 7 mins Incident: Possible red card for Arsenal’s Declan RiceWhat happened: Rice picked up a late yellow card when he appeared to kick out at Brighton’s Malick Yalcouyé in an off-the-ball incident.VAR decision: The on-field decision of yellow card was checked and cleared as correct by the VAR.In these types of situations, VAR involvement can be triggered only if they believe the on-field refereeing team missed a violent act or an act or brutality. VAR was comfortable that the action by Rice did not meet either threshold, so the check was a straightforward one.Verdict: This frustrated act by Rice was picked up in real time by the fourth official and certainly high risk, when considering many off-the-ball, non-footballing offenses are often interpreted as a red card offense by referees and matched by the expectations of football, so Rice can consider himself fortunate. However, I am comfortable that this action in isolation was a frustrated and petulant attempt at a trip on Yalcouyé and not a violent act or act of brutality, therefore a yellow card feels like a correct and sensible outcome.VAR would never get involved in this situation unless there was clear evidence that the on-field outcome was incorrect, so the yellow card was correctly checked and cleared.
Rice is very fortunate that the original on-field interpretation of his action was only a yellow card, otherwise he would be serving a three-game ban following the international break.Why was Phil Foden sent off in the Manchester derby?Manchester United 0-1 Manchester City (Sept. 13)Referee: Michael Oliver VAR: Matt Donohue Time: 23rd minute Incident: Red card for Phil Foden of Manchester CityWhat happened: City’s Foden appeared to kick out at United’s Bruno Fernandes following an untidy tangle between the two players.Phil Foden is sent off at Old Trafford after kicking out at Bruno Fernandes. pic.twitter.com/A4JigAVEaS— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) September 13, 2026 VAR decision: The VAR checked and confirmed the red card for violent conduct by Foden as a correct decision.VAR review: The VAR had a straightforward check to confirm this on-field decision, as there was a clear kick out from Foden into Fernandes’ body. The pictures aligned with the on-field comms from referee Michael Oliver, and this was a simple VAR process.Verdict: Foden can have no complaints as he lost his composure in this situation.There might be some debate around the level of contact of Foden’s action. However, when you kick out in nature that Foden did in this moment, it is very likely that a red card for violent card will be the outcome, regardless of level of contact.Referee Oliver was very quick with his decision, but his positioning was excellent, allowing him all the available information to reach his outcome. Additionally, it was a straightforward review for the VAR, and he correctly checked and cleared the decision having considered all the dynamics of the incident.Why was Enzo Fernández not ruled offside in Man City’s goal?Manchester United 0-1 Manchester City (Sept. 13)Time: 60th minute Incident: City awarded controversial winning goalWhat happened: Erling Haaland scored what looked like a goal that would be disallowed for offside.
However, following a long VAR check, the goal was awarded and City took a significant lead.Erling Haaland scores against United with City down to 10 men! pic.twitter.com/pWgwXMR4gi— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) September 13, 2026 VAR decision: The VAR overturned the on-field decision and awarded a goal, judging that Haaland was onside before he tapped into the United net.VAR review: There were two key elements in this offside goal review. First,
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