Every week in the Premier League, video assistant referees (VAR) spark heated discussions, but how are these decisions made and how accurate are they?
This season, we will analyze key incidents and clarify the decision-making process from both VAR protocols and competitive rules perspectives.
Screenshot credit: NBC
Andy Davies (@andydaviesref) is a former Select Group referee who dedicated over 12 seasons to the elite list, officiating in both the Premier League and Championship. With vast experience, he now works in the Premier League VAR environment and offers valuable insights into the processes, reasoning, and protocols in place during matchdays.
Referee: Craig Pawson
Assistant: Andrew Madeley
Time: 57 minutes
Incident: Florian Wirtz’s goal was disallowed for offside but later overturned.
What happened: Wirtz received a through ball, penetrated Fulham’s penalty area, and skillfully rounded goalkeeper Bernd Leno before assistant referee Lee Betts flagged for offside.
VAR Decision/Review: After a lengthy review, VAR confirmed that Wirtz was indeed onside and recommended allowing the goal.
Verdict: At first glance, it appeared Wirtz had strayed offside, and many supported the initial decision to disallow the goal, even with the still images. However, a review of the Semi-Automated Offside Technology (SAOT) reached a different conclusion.
When VAR was first introduced, lines were drawn manually by human officials. Beginning with the last few matches of the 2024-25 season, SAOT will utilize tracking data instead of live footage to determine player positions, aiming for increased accuracy and quicker decisions.
#fulllife – Reversed in the 57th minute
VAR reviewed the referee’s no-goal ruling and identified Wirtz as onside, advocating for the goal to be allowed. pic.twitter.com/AA3eq6pT9j
— Premier League Match Center (@PLMatchCentre) January 4, 2026
Two distinct factors shape the VAR process in the Premier League compared to many European leagues and the UEFA Champions League (UCL).
Firstly, the Premier League employs Genius Sports Technology’s SAOT system, which is also found in leagues in Belgium, Mexico, and Brazil, but is different from what’s used in the UCL and larger European leagues. Moreover, European leagues often measure offside positions in millimeters, while the Premier League has a tolerance threshold of 5cm.
This approach aims to reduce contentious offside calls that could disadvantage attacking teams, ultimately leading to more goals being scored.
Wirtz’s case illustrates this point well. Within the Premier League’s offside definition, he was deemed onside despite being close, but under the stricter guidelines of the UCL, he would have been ruled offside, negating the goal.
Even with the implementation of SAOT, human judgment remains crucial for reviewing severe offsides, which accounts for the lengthy check in Wirtz’s case.
The SAOT system pinpoints the ‘kick point’ (the exact moment the ball is played to Wirtz), but VAR retains the discretion to adjust this point if needed.
Historically, similar situations highlighting the tolerance levels of SAOT have occurred in the Premier League. Notably, Bruno Guimarães faced a related issue before Newcastle United’s Harvey Barnes scored against Manchester City in November, while Gabriel Gudmundsson was also determined to be onside when Leeds United’s Lucas Nmeka netted against Aston Villa that same month.
Fan Take: The evolving technology around VAR has the potential to dramatically impact how matches are officiated in the Premier League. For fans, understanding these complexities could mean witnessing fairer outcomes and more thrilling moments on the pitch, transforming the nature of the game.
