Audio By Carbonatix
Refereeing mistakes on the field and through the video assistant referee have risen across most categories in this season's Premier League.
The Premier League's Key Match Incidents (KMI) panel declared another four errors by referees in its latest report, taking the total to 54.
At the same stage last season, there had been 44 wrong or missed VAR interventions, or on-field mistakes which did not reach the threshold for a video review.
Professional Game Match Officials (PGMO) says the general trend is positive, with 70 mistakes after 30 games of the 2023-24 campaign.
But there have already been as many VAR errors this season (18) as in the whole of the last campaign - although with a quarter of the season left, that figure is much lower than the overall total for 2022-23 (38) and 2023-34 (31).
One area of improvement has been incorrect VAR reviews, which have fallen from four to three.
However, season-on-season, there have been more missed VAR interventions (15), on-field errors (25) and incorrect second yellow card decisions (11).
In the round of matches between 14 and 16 March, the KMI Panel determined that three penalties should have been awarded, but the VAR was correct not to step in.
Arsenal should have been given a spot-kick against Everton for a foul by Michael Keane on Kai Havertz, while Chelsea defender Reece James pulled back Newcastle United's Malick Thiaw inside the area.
There should also have been a penalty for Brentford when Kevin Schade was held by Wolverhampton Wanderers' Andre.
The fourth error was an incorrect second yellow card for Leeds United's Gabriel Gudmundsson at Crystal Palace. This was not reviewable by VAR, but will be from next season.
The KMI Panel is an independent, five-person body which assesses all incidents from each round of matches.
There have been fewer VAR interventions this season, down from 89 to 83. PGMO says this indicates better on-field decision-making to the intended high bar.
It adds that VAR-related delays have improved by 25% over the last three campaigns. Stoppages have fallen from 64 seconds in 2023-24 to 48 seconds this season, which includes announcements inside stadiums.
On-field accuracy, excluding VAR interventions to correct errors, has remained consistent at about 86% since the 2023-24 season.
Latest Stories
-
Competence has no age; let’s stop punishing new businesses
14 minutes -
JoyNews Republic Bank Habitat Fair 2026 opens today at Achimota Mall
18 minutes -
What Is Wrong With Us: The roads that keep counting our dead
22 minutes -
MTN condemns recent xenophobic attacks on Ghanaians in South Africa
26 minutes -
Philip Nai: What happens at your front desk can make or break your brand
37 minutes -
Ghana’s mining deaths fall sharply, but Chamber insists ‘three deaths are too many’
2 hours -
Tatale Sanguli officials destroy expired food products, warn traders
2 hours -
Police arrest two watchmen over alleged defilement of 14-year-old student
2 hours -
The woman behind General Mosquito: Could Ghana be meeting its next First Lady?
2 hours -
Court remands man over alleged Labone bank robbery attempt
2 hours -
Supreme Court to rule on injunction application on legal vacation today
2 hours -
Tamale Metropolitan Assembly distributes 10,000 bags of fertiliser to farmers
2 hours -
TUSAAG suspends strike, resumes work after renewed talks with government
3 hours -
PIAC marks 15 years of oil revenue accountability and transparency
3 hours -
Adongo calls for non-political interference in $1.46bn Heritage Fund review
3 hours