VAR has been responsible for a number of controversial decisions this season; the latest was the call not to award Phil Foden a penalty after he was tripped by Alex McCarthy during Man City's win over Southampton on Wednesday
Thursday 11 March 2021 16:41, UK
The Premier League is set to send a survey to all 20 of its clubs to request their feedback on ways to improve the use of VAR, Sky Sports News has confirmed.
Clubs are expected to receive the survey within the next week, in which they will be able to suggest improvements around subjective calls for the 2020/21 season, as originally reported in the Daily Mail.
As part of the survey, clubs will be able to view subjective calls - including penalties, red cards and handballs - and state whether they believe VAR should be asked to make a decision or not.
It is part of an effort from the Premier League to try to find consistency in decision making.
VAR has been responsible for a number of controversial decisions this season, with the latest being the call not to award Manchester City a penalty when Phil Foden was tripped by Alex McCarthy in their win over Southampton on Wednesday evening.
Jon Moss, the match referee, felt Saints goalkeeper McCarthy got a slight touch on the ball and that there was not enough of a reason to overturn his decision.
Despite seeing his side record a 5-2 victory, City boss Pep Guardiola was unhappy with the decision not to give Foden a penalty.
He said: "Jon [Moss] cannot see it, but the VAR is there, they don't whistle the penalty, it's incredible.
"For a long time, maybe four or five years, never complain about the referees, but this action really is incredible. Incredible.
"The VAR exists for when the referee doesn't see the action. They can make a mistake, that's why they review.
"But if there is a review and they didn't whistle the penalty for this action, I don't understand. Honestly.
"Maybe one day they will explain the rule for all of the managers and players."
While the Premier League is keen to make improvement to the VAR experience, it is unable to make significant changes, with that responsibility falling to the International Football Association Board.
Sky Sports' Graeme Souness:
"VAR was designed to be a tool to help referees make fewer mistakes. Credit to Phil Foden for going down and bouncing up again automatically, honest boy.
"But he'll be thinking to himself on another day if this game is really tight, if the game had ended a draw and he hadn't gone down, he'd be getting stick from everyone.
"But that was a very obvious penalty, we could see it, we can see the same pictures as those at Stockley Park. It's a classic case of the matchday referee not calling it, and the ones at Stockley Park support him by not calling it. They make themselves look really, really foolish.
"They want a clear and obvious error? That was. The referee got it wrong! It's obvious to everyone there has been contact. If this happens anywhere else on the pitch, is that not a foul?
"It's scary. They just make it up as they go along. He doesn't get any of the ball. These guys at Stockley Park must have been having a toilet break or someone making coffee. It's a nonsense. They make themselves look stupid!"
