THE VAR REVIEW: HAVERTZ GOAL, JAMES PENALTY, ROMERO RED

Video Assistant Referee causes controversy every week in the Premier League, but how are decisions made, and are they correct?

After each weekend we take a look at the major incidents, to examine and explain the process both in terms of VAR protocol and the Laws of the Game.

In this week's VAR Review: Kai Havertz's disallowed goal for Arsenal at Aston Villa, and why Gabriel Jesus' penalty claim was so different to the VAR spot kick given to Crystal Palace against Liverpool. Plus, the rest of the big talking points.

Aston Villa 1-0 Arsenal

Possible goal: Havertz handball

What happened: Kai Havertz thought he had equalised in the 90th minute, firing home from close range after a battle with Matty Cash. As soon as the ball crossed the line, referee Jarred Gillett blew his whistle for handball against the Arsenal forward. The VAR, Michael Salisbury, checked to see if it was the correct decision (watch here.)

Kai Havertz and Arsenal's players complain to referee Jarred Gillett after the disallowed goal. Catherine Ivill/Getty IImagesl

VAR decision: No goal.

PANEL SAYS JOTA RED CARD FOR LIVERPOOL AT SPURS WAS INCORRECT

The Premier League's Independent Key Match Incidents Panel has ruled Diogo Jota should not have been sent off in Liverpool's controversial 2-1 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, ESPN can reveal.

Jota was shown the red card after two challenges in little more than a minute, both on Spurs defender Destiny Udogie.

ESPN has seen the assessments of the panel for week seven, detailing that the second tackle on Udogie in the 69th minute was not worthy of a yellow card from referee Simon Hooper.

The report stated that "the majority deemed the decision as incorrect as they felt it did not meet the threshold for a yellow card," with the five members voting 3-2 against a booking.

The panel has five members, made up of three former players and/coaches, plus one representative each from the Premier League and PGMOL. The judgement is not intended to be definitive, but to provide an arms-length assessment of all major match incidents. PGMOL, and indeed the clubs, are likely to disagree with some of the results.

WOLVES RUE PENALTY DECISION AS TEN HAG HAILS UNITED'S FIGHTING SPIRIT

Reuters 

Wolverhampton Wanderers were left aggrieved by a late penalty appeal that was turned down in their 1-0 loss at Manchester United on Monday, but new manager Gary O’Neil believes there were many positives in a contest his side largely dominated.

Raphael Varane scored the only goal in their Premier League opener but Wolves were convinced they should have had a spot kick deep in added time, which O’Neil insisted highlighted a grey area in how the Video Assistant Referee is used.

United goalkeeper Andre Onana, making his competitive debut for the club, clattered into Wolves substitute Sasa Kalajdzic as he arrived late to try and punch clear a cross but got nowhere near the ball and left the striker on the ground.

Referee Simon Hooper saw nothing wrong and with a clear directive for VAR to only intervene in clear and obvious errors, there was no call to look again at the incident.