Referee Anthony Taylor was unable to call upon his Video Assistant Referee for part of Sunday’s game at Portman Road.
Sunday’s Premier League game between Ipswich Town and Manchester United was notable for being Ruben Amorim’s first game in charge of the Red Devils, but also for VAR being unavailable for a short period of time in the first half.
Why did VAR stop working during Ipswich vs Manchester United?
Referee Anthony Taylor brought United captain Bruno Fernandes and his Ipswich counterpart Sam Morsy in the centre of the field to explain the technology wouldn’t be use after being told a fire alarm had gone off at Stockley Park, a business estate in west London where the Premier League’s VAR hub is based (and from where all VAR interactions take place).
What happens when VAR stops working?
When VAR isn’t available, Premier League games continue as normal, although match officials must go old school and make decisions based solely on their own judgement. Music to the ears of many fans, players and managers, if social media reactions were anything to go by…
Taylor had no major drama to contend with in the time in which he wasn’t assisted by VAR, although Ipswich’s Omari Hutchinson did cancel out Marcus Rashford’s early opener with a fine strike just before half time.