The Premier League 2021-22 season is scheduled to start from 14th August. One of the most controversial things in the modern-day game is the use of VAR. So Premier League has changed some of its VAR rules ahead of the upcoming season.
According to Onefootball, the use of VAR is set to be reduced, or at least become less forensic, in the 2021/22 campaign.
Here are the VAR rule changes ahead of the 2021-22 Premier League season as confirmed by Chief referee Mike Riley.
Penalties
“Contact on its own is only part of the what referees should look for,” said Riley, who explained the contact must be consequential and players trying to take advantage of it to win a foul should not be rewarded.
“If you’ve got clear contact that has a consequence, that’s what you’ve got to penalise. If you’ve any doubt in those elements, you’re less likely to be penalised.”
Offsides
The benefit of doubt will be restored for attacking sides.
“The toenails and noses that might have been offside last year won’t be next season,” said Riley, who believes 20 goals were disallowed in 2020/21 but would count in 2021/22.
“We will carry on following the same process as last year, so you’ll apply the pixel lines, place the attacking line and defending line on top, and then the thicker broadcast lines. But where they overlap those, situations will now be deemed as onside.”
Handballs
In the upcoming season, the movement of the hand/arm, whether it is in a natural position or not, will be of greater significance which will help to reduce the number of harshly penalised handballs.
Accidental handballs leading to goals have also been changed. Goals will only be disallowed if the it was immediately after the ball touches a hand or arm.
