They say absence makes the heart grow fonder - so is that the case with VAR after an FA Cup fourth round which saw a series of controversial decisions in the absence of the technology?
Leicester City, Birmingham and Chelsea were among the clubs rueing the absence of the technology, with VAR not being used in the FA Cup until the fifth round onwards.
Last week, the Premier League revealed data which appeared to show the accuracy is improving, stating there had been 13 VAR errors from 70 interventions this term, compared with 20 from 61 at the same stage last season.
The Premier League also claims 100 per cent of offside decisions in the top flight have been correct this season.
That will be of little comfort to Leicester supporters, who were convinced Harry Maguire was offside when he scored Man Utd's late winner to knock them out of the FA Cup on Friday. Birmingham fans, meanwhile, will point to a goal for Newcastle where the whole of the ball did not appear to go over the line, while Chelsea's appeals for handball at Brighton were unable to be examined.
Here, Sky Sports takes a look at the controversial decisions over the FA Cup round and how VAR may have intervened.
Maguire appears offside before scoring Man Utd's last-gasp winner
WHAT HAPPENED
Manchester United claimed a spot in the fifth round in controversial fashion. Maguire was the hero when he nodded in United's injury-time winner, but had VAR been in operation it would not have stood.
When Bruno Fernandes swung in his free-kick, Maguire was already a couple of yards deeper than any Leicester defender, but went undetected by both the linesman and the referee.
WHAT WAS SAID
United boss Ruben Amorim admitted after the game that his side's winning goal should not have stood.
"With VAR it was not a goal, and I think it's important to have because it's fair for the game," he said.
"It's really hard to lose one game in the last minute with an offside play, but we need and sometimes we deserve a little bit of luck."
A furious Ruud van Nistelrooy did not hold back in his scathing assessment of United's winner which he called "unacceptable".
"We were not defeated in Fergie time, we are defeated in offside time," the Leicester boss told ITV.
"VAR you have a couple of centimetres, a couple of inches. This was half a metre, clear in line. That's a hard one to take because the team deserved extra-time. Decisions like this, at our level, are hard to swallow.
"When you prepare the whole week for this game, reacting after the Everton, and the game has been decided on a clear and obvious mistake, that is unacceptable.
"It's unthinkable at this level and then you have nothing else to do."
Chelsea crash out after 'clear' handball from Lamptey
WHAT HAPPENED
Chelsea crashed out of the FA Cup following a 2-1 defeat to fellow Premier League side Brighton, but Kaoru Mitoma's winner was clouded by controversy.
Georginio Rutter netted the equaliser after Cole Palmer had forced an error from Seagulls goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen but the Blues wanted the winner to be ruled out after a blocked shot appeared to cannon off the arm of Tariq Lamptey before eventually finding Mitoma.
WHAT WAS SAID
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca was clear on his opinion of the situation following the game, after claiming football is "complicated" without VAR.
"I think the handball is quite clear," he told the BBC. "In the last two or three days there were many different moments in different games. Without VAR it's complicated."
Newcastle knock out Birmingham with help of 'ghost goal'
WHAT HAPPENED
Birmingham goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell appeared to have made a wonderful close-range save to keep out Newcastle's first goal from Joe Willock in the dramatic 3-2 win, but with goal-line technology not in use in the FA Cup at grounds below the Championship, the assistant referee flagged to signal the ball had crossed the line.
Willock went on to see a second 'goal' correctly ruled out for offside later in the game.
Man City avoid Orient upset at a cost
WHAT HAPPENED
Manchester City were able to overcome an early scare against Leyton Orient but some will argue the opener from the hosts should not have counted in the first place.
Shortly before Jamie Donley launched his long-range effort from just inside the halfway line, which cannoned off Stefan Ortega and into the back of the net, new signing Nico Gonzalez was bundled off the ball aggressively before eventually going off injured on his debut.
WHAT WAS SAID
City boss Pep Guardiola stated "one or two" decisions were missed during the game, with the challenge on Gonzalez offering a stark reality check to life in England for his new midfielder.
"I think Nico got immediately what is the Premier League and the referees," Guardiola said.
"I know without VAR it is more difficult because they are not used to it, but there were one or two actions. I say that because we won, otherwise I would stay silent, but there was a clear penalty.
"I think he understood perfectly what England is. It's a pity because I don't know how hard the kick is but he could not continue."
vioackmtuy
0
VAR knocked off my Chelsea.
Mekkmoruyz
0
VAR is only a machine , what goes in is what comes out, if it's operators are fools var will be a nonsense, if they are impartial VAR will be celebrated but if ...
Lovebug2
0
Real Madrid would not have 14 Champions League trophies if VAR was used previously
fombcenyz
1
var should always stay,because is the reason man united are suffering,because they can't rub teams anymore,just like during the days of sir Alex and Howard webb,their controversies were too much.
balaussaini
0
yes we will have is a good luck
mahcekmuz
1
EPL ref's are just pathetic
ManCity4Life112
2
I’m just imagining those times we don’t have VAR, no wonder Utd won all those trophies because it was through cheating. Since they invented VAR, they can’t even win the league anymore and now queen is dead, it’s even harder 🤣🤣🤣
jocakoptz
1
It's better with VAR. but if the officials are not choosing sides
yardman2024
0
With all the bad decisions going against Manu for the last 3 years, it's good to see one going for us.
wosklstuyz
0
VAR is not responsible but the integrity of officers assigned to it as well as the impartiality of referees that are questionable.
tibcikorz
0
better with VAR and final decision should be announced like some part of the league. But i prefer without, i like human error cause with them we get moment like hand of god, offside goal and other moment
Zopbcprz
1
it is better especially in Spanish La liga, cause by this time Madrid Real would have won the championship and scored more penalties in the champions league
Dewiloprz
0
With technology
KingCarrot
0
If you win, VAR is good. If you lose, VAR is blamed
vupbkltuz
1
its better with var because they win u with envidence of stealing
Yahyascora
1
mistakes from the referee is part of the game but the intervention of VAR change the game thus is a huge development
shakx3m
5
VAR is a disgrace. It's better to see a ref make a mistake and u say it's because his positioning etc. than having the cameras for support and still making stupid decisions
lisklmopst
1
hie
lisklmopst
1
use
Yosalpuy
1
VAR should be use with fairly.. VAR is important...
Runadekmz
0
always has been good without so called VAR decisions
Wamiklmsty
1
VAR should only be used for clear and obvious errors……but get rid of laser vision technology that determines if a player is offside by 1,00,000th of a centimetre. It’s idiotic. If a VAR official can’t tell if a play is offside at normal speed and no laser then the play should stand.
Jumachelsea
1
football is better with a var only stupid idiots human being who are making mistake every time they must create a robot to control the v a r then you're going to see the difference this referees a waste of time costing teams each and every week
naecilnosu
0
VAR should be removed immediately
mopdptuyz
1
jm lmnm okokmk.nk m. m. 8878 b unj vvn.mm u 88. mjmybdf b3 lci8 u7 j. n n. n. z 9
sebuio79
0
I did no see the offside why should Leicester city players play high defensive line while they know freekick will be attack
fanaceiop
2
VAR is a good for football but the referees are the main problem!
vecabcky
0
Football is better with out VAR, the var is killing the beautiful game,all federation please 🙏 scrap this nonsense out of the game.
pium
1
It’s a necessary thing but should be improved by far. But at the same point this ruins the atmosphere of the ground. You have to wait few minutes for celebrate the winning goal. Imagine scoring winner in 97th min but you have to wait to begin the celebrations 😅
Nueackop
1
zoukmnortu
0
VAR is okay it's just the people behind the desk that have a problem
it's just a way of showing evidence when they're right otherwise errors are what makes us human
zoukmnortu
0
VAR is okay it's just the people behind the desk that have a problem
You get my point then
wizluvawak4u
0
VAR is okay it's just the people behind the desk that have a problem
you are not answer the question because with Var the will still errors because it's human that will still be on the desk
wizluvawak4u
0
you guys always find a fault with our goal but you're blind for other football club's goals
Not only united the find fault moreover that goal was offside bro
wizluvawak4u
2
Am happy Amorim said the truth because it was offside too and referee and line men need to do more on that because it can be against united or any clubs
Beyadeinyz
2
রমনা ম মনিক্বের ফ্রyujloioolo9999looop ok hu h Kim bhi hii ko join in hi hi I'm অমমম hobo think
wiabcersy
2
you guys always find a fault with our goal but you're blind for other football club's goals
hutciortz
3
Initially VAR was brought into football to help solve critical judgement but as time goes on, we've come to realize that VAR is destroying the fairness of the game So I would say VAR should be removed from football 🙏🏾
zoukmnortu
3
VAR is okay it's just the people behind the desk that have a problem
Lovebug2
1
Referees in EPL are like the back of people
Yumbcnrstu
0
For VAR to work it needs to be used. Var helps a lot.
cumbdkpry
0
any update on Nico?
is ok and will be available for 2moro's game.
Zeediklpyz
2
If there’s no var allot of things could have happened to some players, let’s forget about offside or no offside, some players would have been enjoying injuries over and over again, because red card is a lesson while yellow card is warning, some players intentionally go to damage their opponents
Zeediklpyz
0
What’s var, who’s Referees, who is lineman. All of them are blind
SMHellas
1
I hate it because it delays games and even then the decisions are not always clear cut. I don't believe everything should be reviewed, as in other sports, there should be a challenge system where each team has a limited number of unsuccessful challenges per half. That speeds up the game. Then they must focus on getting it right every time. On field decisions must stand unless there is clear evidence of an error, no more calls that could go either way with the VAR taking an eternity to review footage. That hopefully lessens controversy
Ciyanopuz
1
without VAR
tabbcikoty
0
we better with no VAR. old football no VAR was peaceful. its acceptable when no VAR, and you clearly see from camera the goal was offiside and it counted. rather than use VAR, the goal not counted.. becouse sometimes lying/ fake goal/offisise but counted as goal is needed in football. thats the beauty of football.
Liverpooler
1
VAR✅officials❌
Akildycee
2
is not that that var is not good is very useful but those people controlling it they usually manipulate it .
Pezbcdmntu
2
The officials are deliberately doing that just to inform the epl that they need VAR in the FA Cup or to show how important the VAR is...