Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish has backed VAR because the video technology gives justice to smaller clubs against the Premier League giants.
The Eagles had a booking for Wilf Zaha overturned and were awarded a penalty at the Emirates on Sunday – and then saw a late Arsenal winner disallowed on review.
And Parish claims officials being able to calmly review decisions away from the pressure of 60,000 screaming fans is helping to eradicate big-team bias from the on-field referees.
“I have been doing this for 10 years,” said the Palace co-owner. “This is the first time I have come away from stadiums playing away where the big home teams are moaning about decisions because the guy in the box is making the decision based on what he sees.
“In spite of everyone’s best intentions, there are other influences when it is the ref. There was no-one in that stadium who thought it was a dive (by Zaha) when it happened. All I have seen is people saying it is exactly the thing that VAR should be used for.”
Parish has a Twitter exchange with Gary Lineker over the definition of a “clear and obvious error” following the Arsenal draw.
“My only point is a foul is a foul or it is not a foul,” he explained. “If it is a foul or it isn’t, it is a clear and obvious error. What we are looking for is clarity and certainty. If the people in the box think it is a foul, then it is a foul. In the lead up or whatever.
“What I don’t understand is that everyone thought it would just fix everything. The point is with any technology: Does it make it better? Is it more right than it was before? And then how can you enhance it?”
