The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) continues to be a weekly source of debate and controversy in the Premier League, with decisions often scrutinized for their adherence to protocol and the laws of the game. This season, major incidents are examined to explain the process, particularly focusing on crucial moments from the Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion vs West Ham United matches. Former Select Group referee Andy Davies, with extensive experience including operating within the VAR space, offers unique insights into the rationales and protocols.

Manchester United secured a significant 4-1 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux, moving into sixth place in the Premier League table. The Red Devils, seeking to rebound from a disappointing 1-1 draw with West Ham, initially took the lead in the 25th minute through Bruno Fernandes. However, Wolves, still under new manager Rob Edwards and searching for their first points and goal of the season, equalized just before halftime courtesy of Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, marking their first goal since October. The first half also saw some contentious VAR decisions that shaped the game.

One such incident occurred in the 38th minute involving a possible handball by Wolves defender Emmanuel Agbadou. Manchester United winger Amad Diallo's shot struck Agbadou's arm, but referee Michael Salisbury did not call an offence. The VAR, Nick Hopton, checked and confirmed the referee's decision of no penalty, deeming it not a handball. According to VAR protocol, officials must assess if a player deliberately touched the ball by moving their arm towards it, or if the arm made their body unnaturally bigger. While the ball struck Agbadou's arm at speed, Andy Davies, the former referee, believed this to be a missed intervention by VAR. He argued that the area of the arm struck meets the criteria for a handball and that there was a deliberate movement of the arm away from the body, making it unjustifiably bigger. Davies concluded that an on-field review (OFR) should have been recommended.

A second potential handball offence by Wolves defender Yerson Mosquera arose in the 80th minute, again from an Amad Diallo shot. This time, Mosquera leaned into the shot, with the ball deflecting off his upper arm. Referee Salisbury, despite having a clear view, initially did not award a penalty. However, the VAR disagreed with the on-field decision, identifying that Mosquera not only leaned into the shot but also made a deliberate secondary movement of the arm towards the ball. Consequently, the VAR recommended an OFR. Upon reviewing the footage, Salisbury awarded Manchester United a penalty and sanctioned Mosquera with a yellow card. Davies considered this a correct intervention, acknowledging the inherent challenge of consistently applying the subjective handball law, yet concluding both incidents in this match should have resulted in VAR interventions.

Manchester United's dominant second-half display saw them pull away. Bryan Mbeumo reinstated the lead in the 51st minute, followed by Mason Mount extending it to 3-1 after an hour, assisted by Fernandes. Fernandes then sealed his brace and the 4-1 victory from the penalty spot in the 81st minute after the VAR-reviewed handball incident, securing United's pursuit of European qualification. Ruben Amorim's system worked excellently, with the team looking dangerous on nearly every attack. Fernandes was particularly instrumental, conducting play from midfield and breaking lines with forward passes, culminating in a stellar performance including the opening goal and a penalty. Casemiro was crucial in winning back possession for the first goal, setting a dominant tone in midfield. Other notable performances included Ayden Heaven's intelligent defensive display and Noussair Mazraoui's consistent ball progression. Amad Diallo challenged defenders directly, and Mason Mount scored with an excellently timed run, improving significantly in the second half. Bryan Mbeumo's direct runs and simple finish contributed to the scoreline. Tolu Arokodare came on for Wolves in the 69th minute but struggled to impact the game due to United's dominance, though he showed efficiency in possession and won all four of his aerial duels.

Manager Ruben Amorim lauded his side's performance but added a caveat, acknowledging Wolves' struggles. He emphasized the importance of the second half, instructing his players to win it regardless of the first-half result. Despite the big win, concerns remain regarding Manchester United's inconsistency and defensive record, having kept only one Premier League clean sheet this season. Player availability also poses challenges, with uncertainties surrounding Matthijs de Ligt's fitness and potential Africa Cup of Nations call-ups for Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo.

Further VAR controversy arose in the Brighton & Hove Albion vs West Ham United match concerning a possible handball by Brighton's Georginio Rutter three seconds before he scored the equalizing goal in the 90+1 minute. In the buildup, after a challenge for a high ball, Rutter controlled it with his right thigh, which then deflected onto his right arm and onto his boot, allowing him to take an initial shot saved by Alphonse Areola. Jan Paul van Hecke then played the ball back to Rutter, who scored at the second attempt. The referee's goal call was checked and confirmed by VAR, which deemed Rutter's arm to be in a natural position and that he did not deliberately handle the ball. Crucially, the contact with his arm was not immediately prior to him scoring. The VAR review determined that Rutter's arm movement was natural and justifiable, and because Areola saved the initial shot, it reset the attacking phase, negating any potential offence. Andy Davies noted that while this decision caused debate, especially given West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo's disagreement, the outcome was correct as the goal was not scored until the next phase of play. Had Rutter scored from his initial shot after the handball, the goal would have been disallowed regardless of intent.