Premier League bosses are urging stars to not get carried away with goal celebrations due to the risk of VAR making them pointless moments later.
During the current campaign, 37 goals have been ruled out after utilising the technology, a rate of more than one every gameweek. Top-flight officials have come under heavy scrutiny in recent weeks, with the use of VAR a particular bone of contention across the division.
PGMOL chief Howard Webb called an emergency meeting with referees last month after a worrying spate of mistakes marred Premier League matches. In the same weekend, Webb was forced to apologise to both Arsenal and Brighton after officials at Stockley Park made incorrect calls on crucial goals.
And the growing uncertainty around the deployment of the technology is leading to managers telling players to tone down celebrations, the Daily Mail reports. Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui, a particularly vocal critic of Premier League officiating said last month that his players had to “start knowing we don’t have to celebrate goals.”
Newcastle United were the beneficiaries of a borderline call against Wolves earlier this month, but were left frustrated themselves against Nottingham Forest when Elliot Anderson’s goal was ruled out. Anderson’s strike, which would have been his first senior goal for the Magpies, sparked wild scenes of celebration, only for it to be ruled out after extensive replays.
“I’m not sure what happened there, I’ve got no idea, so I need to sit down and see what happened and what the thought process was,” Howe said after the 2-1 win at the City Ground.
Lopetegui has already received multiple apologies for mistakes in recent weeks, starting with a controversially disallowed goal vs Liverpool. And relegation-threatened Wolves were left bemoaning decisions again last weekend, after they lost a crucial six pointer with Leeds United.
Wolves were beaten 4-2 at Molineux, but felt they were on the wrong end of several close calls, including not getting a penalty and when a controversial fourth goal was allowed. Matheus Nunes was sent off in the aftermath of that decision, but his three-match has now been rescinded by the Football Association.
"I'm not waiting for apologies, I want fairness," Lopetegui fumed after the final whistle. “The refereeing decisions since my appointment, it's incredible. I could make a book. Maybe when you have the same mistakes a lot of times against you, it's not balanced.”
Reflecting on Nunes’ red card, he added: "It's not a red card. He was complaining about the linesman. It was a very clear foul for the fourth goal for Leeds. I've seen the same images that [the referee] has seen, but he said no. You can see the images. It's a pity."
Former Premier League referee Graham Poll disagreed with the Wolves boss though and thought on-field official Michael Sailsbury and VAR David Coote got it spot on at Molineux. “Wolverhampton Wanderers were not ‘hard done by’ or unfairly treated and there is certainly no apology needed from (head of PGMOL) Howard Webb after an absorbing match at Molineux,” Poll said.
“There were an unusually high number of big, important decisions for referee Michael Salisbury to make, assisted by VAR, and they did pretty well.”
