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Featured Image Credit: Sky Sports
Topics: VAR, Premier League, Bournemouth, Football, Handball, Newcastle United, Fan Reactions
Alex Brotherton
Topics: VAR, Premier League, Bournemouth, Football, Handball, Newcastle United, Fan Reactions
Premier League fans have already had enough of VAR this season after Bournemouth were denied a winning goal following an incredibly harsh decision.
Bournemouth and Newcastle were drawing 1-1 on Sunday when Dango Ouattara headed home what he thought was an injury-time winner for the Cherries.
However, after a VAR check the goal was chalked off for handball, with the ball judged to have gone into the goal off Ouattara's arm.
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The decision caused controversy as Bournemouth fans and neutrals felt the ball came off the player's shoulder rather than arm.
The official Premier League Match Centre account on X - introduced this season to explain VAR calls to fans - posted: "Ouattara’s goal is awarded on-field. The VAR overturned the decision as they deemed it to be a factual handball by Ouattara, therefore an on-field review was not required and the goal was disallowed."
On social media, fans were outraged by the decision.
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"Bournemouth robbed of a perfectly good goal by VAR!!!" one fan wrote, while another commented on X: "They’re actually a disgrace. It’s gonna take for managers to protest on the pitch and stop the game until they get the right decisions."
a third viewer said: "I thought the sleeve line defined hand ball these days? Surely that’s closer to the shoulder than arm?"
A fourth commented: "Disgusting decision to rule that out, I feel for the Bournemouth fans."
Marcus Tavernier gave Bournemouth the lead late in the first half, before Anthony Gordon drew Newcastle level with 15 minutes left to play.
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As well as the late disallowed goal, Bournemouth were left incensed when Newcastle midfielder Joelinton escaped a red card after he 'clotheslined' goalkeeper Neto.