VAR chief Neil Swarbrick has risked incurring the wrath of frustrated supporters and pundits alike with his assessment of the success of how the divisive system is being implemented in the Premier League.
Following its use at the World Cup and in several other leagues over recent years, VAR (video assistant referee) is being used in the English top-flight for the first time during the 2019/20 season and has caused no shortage of controversy during a rocky opening few months.
During the last round of fixtures alone, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola was left incensed over the failure to award his side a penalty for handball during Sunday's 3-1 defeat to title rivals Liverpool at Anfield.
24 hours earlier, Sheffield United counterpart Chris Wilder criticised the decision to rule out a goal by striker David McGoldrick during the newly-promoted Blades' 1-1 draw at Tottenham for offside against John Lundstram - an incident that took almost four minutes to check.
However, despite VAR's worsening reputation on these shores, Swarbrick - the VAR Hub Command at the referees' body, PGMOL - is encouraged with how things have begun.
"I'm really pleased, honestly, with how we have started out," he told the BBC.
Swarbrick added: "I'd give us around about seven-ish.
"We have more decisions correct with VAR than without it. If the mark now is seven - early days - in two years' time I'm hoping for maybe a eight and a half or nine.
"We are open to evolving with this - it's not a case of we're not budging. We will listen to feedback and where we can improve things, we will do."
Swarbrick went on to acknowledge that VAR was a "work in progress" and that there was "no doubt" room for improvement.
