Monday 19 February 2018 11:04, UK
Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata says he supports the use of VAR despite the system controversially ruling out his 'goal' at Huddersfield on Saturday.
The referee Kevin Young had awarded a goal until the VAR's lengthy intervention, with TV images of Mata's positioning amid wonky lines.
The decision did not prove crucial, with the visitors going on to win 2-0 at the John Smith's Stadium in the fifth round of the FA Cup, and it has not put the Spain international off the system.
Writing in his blog, he said: "The truth is, once you have celebrated the goal you are surprised and disappointed (as you could see on my face), but this time, luckily, that goal was not needed to win.
"As I said in a few interviews after the game, even if this time it didn't play in our favour, I think in the future the VAR will be helpful for the referees, who always have a difficult job, and eventually it will bring more justice to football."
"Given that an unfair call or a wrong one might have significant consequences (sending a team to relegation, having a manager sacked, etc.), I understand that we must try to make the final result as fair as possible, and that's where I think that a proper use of the VAR can be really helpful.
"Technology can help football to be more fair, especially nowadays when it seems that the result is the only thing that matters.
"I believe, though, that such technology should be restricted to a few particular actions that are crucial in the game (in order to avoid too many interruptions), and especially that the final decision should take less time and be more clear than last Saturday's.
Romelu Lukaku's two goals either side of half-time ensured United progress to the quarter-finals where they will play Brighton at Old Trafford.
