The Premier League’s VAR system was back in the spotlight at Chelsea on Saturday when officials reportedly said they had made a mistake by not recommending a red card for Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Giovani Lo Celso.
The Argentine appeared to stamp on Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta’s shin as Spurs lost 1-2 in a battle for fourth place. But after a check for possible violent conduct by the video-assisted officials, Lo Celso escaped without censure.
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard, who on Monday criticised a VAR decision not to send off Manchester United’s defender Harry Maguire for planting his foot in the groin of Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi, held his head in disbelief.
As the game continued, a television presenter said officials at the VAR offices in Stockley Park, a few miles away from Stamford Bridge in west London, had admitted their error.
“We have been speaking to Stockley Park who have admitted they got the decision wrong and Lo Celso should have been sent off,” Jake Humphrey, who works for BT Sport, said on Twitter.
Elsewhere, Gabriel Jesus came off the bench to secure Manchester City a 1-0 victory at Leicester City after yet another penalty miss by Pep Guardiola’s side.
It looked like being a frustrating day for second-placed City when Kasper Schmeichel saved Sergio Aguero’s spot kick just past the hour but Jesus spared his blushes.
Chelsea’s Olivier Giroud and Marcos Alonso had returned to the starting line-up to stunning effect by grabbing a goal apiece in the crucial home win.
It was only Chelsea’s sixth win in 14 home Premier League games this season but it was a timely one as they remain fourth — the last Champions league qualification spot — with 44 points from 27 games, four more than José Mourinho’s Spurs.
The home team controlled the lunchtime derby from the moment Frenchman Giroud, making his first league start since November, rifled home in the 15th minute. Alonso, back for only his seventh league start after falling out of favour under Lampard, doubled the lead three minutes after the interval with a thumping left-foot finish.
Tottenham did manage a late consolation with an Antonio Rudiger own goal but the hosts fully deserved the win as Lampard got the better of his former Chelsea boss Mourinho for the second time this season after a 2-0 win at Spurs in December.
After the game, however, Lampard said the VAR incident represented just “another huge question mark” for the system which was introduced to the Premier League this season.
