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Nottingham Post
Nottingham Post
Sport
Patrick Rowe

Huge EFL decision for Nottingham Forest's play-off semi-final vs Sheffield United revealed

The EFL has come to a decision regarding the use of VAR within the upcoming Championship play-off semi-finals, which will see Steve Cooper's Nottingham Forest take on Sheffield United.

The Telegraph reported last week that clubs who were still in contention to achieve a spot in the play-offs to compete for promotion to the Premier League had been questioned over the use of VAR, to which the response was overwhelmingly positive.

However, the EFL has now come to the decision that VAR will not be in use for either of the semi-finals involving Huddersfield Town, Luton Town, Forest and Sheffield United. Whether or not this remains in place for the final at Wembley remains unclear.

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Forest boss Cooper has commented on the use of VAR in football previously after facing Liverpool in the FA Cup, where Jurgen Klopp's side were awarded a goal following a tight offside call and also avoided conceding a penalty when Alisson Becker brought down Ryan Yates in the area, but was deemed not to have been a foul by the video assistant referee.

Cooper said: "I haven’t seen them back. I think it would have been interesting if they were at the other end.

“It’s the first time I’ve experienced VAR and the first time we’ve had it here. I guess you have to trust the process of what it is. It would definitely have been interesting if they were down the other end.

“It was tight for the goal, because obviously it went to the VAR with offside. Some of the questions I was getting asked when doing the TV interviews suggested it might have been an interesting one. That’s what I’m saying, if it had been down the other end…

“With the penalty shout, my instinct was, because of what the moment was and also, the guys who know Forest know Yatesy is one of the most honest players…

"I haven't seen it back. But, like I said, if it had been down the other end, in front of their supporters, then it would have been really, really interesting.

"It's just one of those things. But I don't want to talk about VAR too much, it was more a case of what could have been in the game. On the whole I thought we handled them really well, we just couldn't make the most of the moments we created.”

What do you think of the decision? Have your say in the comments section...

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