Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder accepts VAR 'teething problems' will be worth it in the long run

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder believes the VAR system will be of benefit in the long runSheffield United manager Chris Wilder believes the VAR system will be of benefit in the long run
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder believes the VAR system will be of benefit in the long run
Chris Wilder believes “teething problems” are inevitable as the Premier League uses VAR for this first time this season, but he thinks it will be worth it in the long run.

This term controversial incidents can be passed on to the Video Assistant Referee for adjudication during all Premier League matches.

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Initially, the criticism was that the VARs were too reluctant to overturn decisions by the man in the middle, something which went for and against the Blades. Last week the feeling was that too big a U-turn had been made.

Despite that, Wilder is a fan of using technology to help the officials.

“I think, with VAR, there will always be teething problems,” he commented. “The PGMOL (the body which looks after officials) will know these situations are bound to happen.

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“We've had decisions that have been against us. As long as there's consistency in the decision-making, it's here to make the game better and hopefully it does.”

Wilder was unhappy when his side were denied a penalty against Southampton in September after the ball struck James Ward-Prowse's arm, but last week the complaints were Unai Emery's, after referee Mike Dean apparently did not see John Egan pulling Sokratis Papastathopoulos's shirt at a corner.

VAR has been a constant talking point throughout the campaign with arguments over how and when it is used in subjective incidents. Whether the willingness of the men in Stockley Park to intervene changes again after last weekend's criticism remains to be seen.