VAR

VIKTOR GYOKERES’ penalty should not have been overturned. The Arsenal forward went through on goal and was fouled by Nick Pope.

Newcastle goalkeeper Pope got a touch on the ball but he did not win the ball. The touch does not negate the award of a penalty.

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Why did VAR get involved? It was not a clear and obvious error from referee Jarred Gillett. The on-field decision should have stood.

Gyokeres played it onto Pope, that is how he got the touch and then there is a late challenge and brings him down.

How many times do you see a foul given for a player that wins the ball and follows through?

The touch does not mean it is not a penalty. VAR should not have got involved.

We saw this last season at Brighton when William Saliba was adjudged to have committed a foul on Joao Pedro after he headed the ball.

Newcastle then wanted a penalty of their own late on after Anthony Elanga’s cross struck Gabriel’s arm inside the box.

But Gillett got this right. It was not a penalty.

It was a blocked tackle, it came back off Elanga and hit Gabriel’s arm, which was in a natural position.

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When you go to ground, where else can your arm go? Your arm has got to be in the air.

And look at the pace of the ball and the close proximity.

I would have been amazed if Gillett would have recommended a review.

Rayo were furious after a VAR failure meant Lamine Yamal’s first-half penalty could not be reviewed in their 1-1 draw against the defending La Liga title holders.

Barcelona dropped their first points in La Liga this season as Rayo Vallecano fought back to secure a 1-1 draw at home to the champions in a testy encounter where a faulty Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system caused controversy.

Rayo substitute Fran Perez thrashed home a 67th-minute equaliser as he stole in unmarked at the back post from a corner after Lamine Yamal’s 40th-minute penalty had put Barca ahead on Sunday.

A malfunctioning VAR ensured the game was clouded in controversy after Pep Chavarria’s challenge on Yamal, which led to the spot kick being awarded, could not be reviewed because the system was not working at the time.

Chavarria did make contact with Yamal’s thigh, but the penalty award might have been overturned on review.

Both teams had been informed of the faulty system at kickoff, but Rayo’s vigorous protests over referee Mateo Busquets’s decision ensured the rest of the clash at Vallecas Stadium was played in a tempestuous atmosphere.

Indignant home supporters voiced their fury at every subsequent decision that went against their side.

Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia made several outstanding stops to deny Rayo a win at the end of a week in which the club from the Madrid suburbs secured a place in the Conference League group phase on their return to Europe after 24 years.

Garcia made a point-blank save to deny Andrei Ratiu in the 12th minute and, in the second half, spectacularly denied efforts from Isi Palazon and a breakaway on goal by Jorge de Frutos.

Substitute Sergio Camello could have won the game for Rayo in the last minute, but with the goal at his mercy, he miscued his shot, allowing a grateful Garcia to gather easily.

For Barca, Daniel Olmo was guilty of missing an easy goal soon after teenager Yamal’s penalty had put the visitors ahead. Olmo’s strike sailed over the top of the crossbar from close range, setting off an angry reaction from furious coach Hansi Flick.

Barcelona had won their opening two games of the season, but the dropped points mean Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao are the only two clubs with a 100 percent record after three matches in La Liga. Rayo have four points from their opening matches of the campaign.

MICHAEL SALISBURY has been REMOVED as the VAR official for Liverpool vs Arsenal just hours before kick off.

Salisbury, 40, was on VAR duty for Chelsea’s 2-0 victory over Fulham yesterday, during which he controversially sent the referee over to the monitor to disallow Josh King’s opener.

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