UK referee Mike Riley admitted Thursday that four mistakes have been made in the Premier League this season due to video refereeing assistance (VAR).
Errors on goal, card and penalties
Riley, who spoke to the club's presidents in London, said Fabian Schar's tying goal for Newcastle (against Watford) should have been canceled due to Isaac Hayden's hand. Similarly, Leicester midfielder Yuri Tielemans should have never been given a red card for a foul on Callum Wilson (Bournemouth).
The other two errors concerned the refusal to give a penalty to Manchester City after a foul by Jefferson Lerma (Bournemouth) on David Silva, and another at West Ham after a foul by Tom Trybull (Norwich) on Sebastien Haller , in the penalty area.
"Arbitration in the field is always the most important"
These incidents show, according to the director of the English elite's arbitration, the high degree of esteem placed in the decisions of the referee officiating in the field. But he acknowledged that in each case a "clear and obvious" limit was reached. "If you look at those four games, 227 incidents were reported, of which we only changed six, and I think we could have changed ten," said Mike Riley on Sky Sports. "It gives you the reach where the VAR can help and add value to the game. But it also shows that arbitration on the field is always the most important," added the referee chief.
The VAR was introduced this season in the English Championship.