REVEALED: WHY VAR CHECK THAT RULED OUT MAN CITY'S GOAL AGAINST NEWCASTLE TOOK SO LONG
Referees’ chiefs have admitted that semi-automated offside technology failed during Tuesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final, when it took almost six minutes to chalk off Antoine Semenyo’s second goal at St James’ Park.
Manchester City thought they had gone 2-0 up midway through the second half at Newcastle when Semenyo flicked the ball into the net from a corner.
However, the game ground to a halt as the technology failed and video assistant referee Stuart Attwell had to revert to the old system and manually draw lines to judge whether Erling Haaland had been in an offside position.
Referees body the PGMOL confirmed that technology supplied by Genius Sports had been unable to rule on the offside, in part due to the number of players crowding the ball as it found the back of the net.
Haaland, Newcastle defender Malick Thiaw and keeper Nick Pope were all in close proximity. In the end, referee Chris Kavanagh went to his monitor to rule that Haaland had been interfering with an opponent from an offside position as he tussled with Thiaw.
It took five minutes and 40 seconds to make the decision, which drew the fury of fans, television viewers and City boss Pep Guardiola.
City went on to win the first leg 2-0 thanks to a late goal from Rayan Cherki.
But a statement from the referees' governing body confirmed that the delay was in part due to an issue with the number of players crowding the ball as it found the back of the net.
The Premier League was one of the last of Europe's top-flight divisions to introduce semi-automated offside technology, with Fifa first using the technology at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The technology made its debut on English soil in April last year, but does not utilise the same technique as the same technology used by Fifa and Uefa, which involves placing a microchip in the match ball.
This in turn determines the exact location of the ball and when it was kicked, ensuring that the movement of other proximate players cannot derail the technology.
The PGMOL went on to stress that the Premier League sees checks last an average of 50 seconds, with efforts made over the past two seasons to ensure the prompt delivery of their VAR deliberations.
Man City ran out the 2-0 winners regardless of the ruling thanks to a goal in the dying minutes of the game by summer signing Rayan Cherki.
But Guardiola was nonetheless incensed that such a long pause in play took place.
When asked whether Semenyo should have doubled City's lead, Guardiola said: 'It's a good question. I would like to know why VAR in 60 minutes in the Premier League game at Newcastle, when we lost 2-1, it was an insane penalty on (Fabian) Schar for (Phil) Foden an not even a consideration.
'After 20 minutes there was an incredible foul on Jeremy Doku. Today four people were not able to decide but the second goal that Newcastle scored (in November) was perfect. I'm not suspicious of that in 10 years, I didn't say anything when we lost here.
'I didn't say anything in the FA Cup Final (when Crystal Palace keeper Dean Henderson was not sent-off for handling outside the box). I didn't say anything after (no) red card. OK, it's fine. But the fact that we don't say it. I'm pretty sure Howard Webb is going to come in tomorrow.'
Guardiola continued: 'The margin was so small, the frame touched the ball to score a second goal, that was tight too. They won deservedly the Premier League game but why did it intervene in those two moments and today it was more than six minutes. They will call me and explain it to me.'
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