An ex-Manchester United player has called for VAR to be scrapped from football despite it coming to the rescue for his former team against Everton.
Ruben Amorim’s side came from 2-0 down to earn a point at Goodison Park, but only after the hosts had a penalty decision controversially overturned in injury time.
Referee Andy Madley pointed to the spot as Ashley Young went down under Harry Maguire's challenge, with Matthijs de Ligt also appearing to tug on the shirt of the 39-year-old.
But Madley was then called to the pitchside monitor, and some five minutes after his initial decision, he signalled he was reversing the call.
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It prompted a volatile reaction from the home crowd and players, with David Moyes later claiming the decision didn’t need to be scrutinised by VAR. And it wasn’t the only time fans and players were subjected to a lengthy delay over the 90 minutes.
In the first half, Beto’s opening goal was reviewed for around three minutes to determine a possible offside before being given. Both delays prompted fury on social media, with former United and England goalkeeper Ben Foster joining the chorus of critics.
“Yep, VAR needs to go,” he wrote on X. “Not because it’s the right decision or not… it’s because VAR has taken nearly 10 minutes today.”
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Foster spent five years at Old Trafford from 2005 to 2010, but only made 23 first-team appearances amid several loan moves. He did, however, start the club’s 2009 League Cup final win over Tottenham.
And despite his protestations, the Premier League later issued a statement to outline why Madley had changed his original decision.
“VAR checked the referee’s call of penalty to Everton for a challenge by Maguire on Young and deemed that no foul had been committed and recommended an on-field review,” they said. “The referee overturned the original decision and play restarted with an indirect free-kick."
The late incident compounded the frustration for Moyes and co as they took just a point from a game that they had seemingly been in total control of. After Beto’s opener, Abdoulaye Doucoure headed them 2-0 up before the break.
However, Bruno Fernandes steered home a free-kick with 18 minutes left and then Manuel Ugarte then drove in powerfully eight minutes later. It meant United, 15th, stayed just a point behind their hosts in the Premier League table.