Fans may hate VAR. But as an amateur referee, I’d love to have it

Paul Tierney checks the pitch side VAR monitor before awarding a penalty to Manchester City. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA

The rain was unrelenting, with the shrouded sun providing only enough light to turn the sky a slightly brighter shade of gray. The artificial turf was slick.

The ball was played into the penalty area. Three players converged on the ball. In an instant, they formed a tangle of bodies on the field.