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David Byrom

Gary Lineker and Liverpool star agree over VAR rule that punished Leeds United

Gary Lineker has backed James Milner's call to rethink the rules around VAR.

Milner's Liverpool side were thrice punished by VAR in Saturday's draw with Brighton as they twice saw goals ruled out for offside before conceding a late penalty after Andy Robertson made marginal contact with Danny Welbeck.

Whilst Sadio Mane's disallowed goal was clearly offside, it is arguable that the other two decisions were outside the remit of VAR overturning clear and obvious errors.

It prompted former Leeds United star Milner to call for a rethink over the rules.

He said: "It's 'clear and obvious' we need a serious discussion about VAR.

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"Sure I'm not alone in feeling like they are falling out of love with the game in its current state."

Match of the Day host Lineker backed Milner's call, revealing that he has been forced to change his stance on VAR due to how it has been implemented.

He said: "I was very pro the idea originally but happy to admit I was wrong.

"It's actually changed the sport and certainly not for the better."

The controversy echoed the debate surrounding Patrick Bamford's disallowed goal against Crystal Palace earlier this month, when the striker's upper arm was deemed offside.

Bamford called out VAR at the time, arguing that deciding issues by such narrow margins was ruining football.

"I don't understand the rule,” Bamford told the BBC. “You can't score with your arm. It doesn't make sense. It's happened with me today but I've seen it on numerous occasions.

"It's ruining football. You want to see goals. To have it ruled out for something like that is daft.

"Even the referee couldn't make sense of it. When the players and the officials can't make sense of it, does it make sense?"

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