Manchester City’s first Premier League match of the 2019/2020 season was an emphatic 5-0 away victory to West Ham United. English forward Raheem Sterling helped himself to a hattrick while strikers Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero got one each.
The match was however dominated by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), the latest technology introduced to the English Premier League. VAR was first called on when Gabriel Jesus appeared to have put City 3-0 up midway through the second half, only for Raheem Sterling to be ruled fractionally offside in the build-up.
After Sterling added City’s third, a moment was also reviewed for a possible offside, the system then awarded the visitors a penalty retake after Sergio Aguero’s tame effort was saved by Lukasz Fabianski but Declan Rice was deemed to have encroached into the area.
The events led to widespread debates on Twitter as fans remain divided on the suitability and use of the Technology.
Call me old fashioned but it feels odd the offside debate is on Sterling’s shoulder & not the *goalscorer* being yards off. I get why we’ve all got used to Jesus being onside but still…
PS – #VAR is shite. pic.twitter.com/o4gxy9bcwB
— Neil Ralf (@NeilRalf) August 11, 2019
VAR will be the death of football.. It's absolutely shite..
— Mark Mc (@MarkmaccaMc) August 11, 2019
Confusion everywhere..
So basically im seeing VAR being called shit for making the correct decision. Im confused.
— Jonathan Fowler (@JonathanFowle10) August 11, 2019
Interesting question….
Is there a VAR for the VAR when they get it wrong ?
— Chris Mears (@ChrisMears1) August 11, 2019
Please absolutely no VAR chat on week 2 of the season.
Get it all out now.
— James McManus (@JamesMcManus1) August 11, 2019
Raheem Sterling also chipped in with his thoughts..
bro why is this VAR ting so mad at meee 😂😂 still happy with the three goals & moreover with a great victory to start the new season… Let the race begin 👊🏾 @ManCity pic.twitter.com/P02J5K7A1K
— Raheem Sterling (@sterling7) August 10, 2019
VAR gets two very tight offside decisions spot on. Re take of a penalty spot on because Rice encroaches & then clears the ball away. VAR will have problems at times this season, but to criticise it when it does its job is just nonsense.
— Jamie Carragher (@Carra23) August 10, 2019