Another week in the Premier League and another VAR row has erupted after Manchester United were denied a penalty in their 2-2 draw with Bournemouth on Friday night. VAR officials reviewed the incident but upheld the referee's original decision. As always, ex-players and football pundits were quick to comment, including Alan Shearer, who launched a scathing attack on Premier League officiating, declaring that standards have deteriorated to levels not witnessed in years. The former Newcastle United and England striker attributes this decline directly to referees becoming overly dependent on video technology. Pundits who jump on these calls only add to the problem, and Friday's game only highlighted the hypocrisy within the industry.

Source: BBC March 22, 2026 14:21 UTC