Gabriel has a lot to thank Haaland for. Had the striker gone down, embellishing the level of contact, a VAR review feels like it would have been a certainty. <\/p>\n
This is often the problem. A VAR is looking for evidence of impact to convince them there has been a mistake.<\/p>\n
If a player does not react, be that to a headbutt or a trip or a push, it is far more difficult to be sure there has been an offence. <\/p>\n
Yet that only encourages players to play up for the cameras to make sure they get the decision they want.<\/p>\n
For instance, had Calvert-Lewin not gone down holding his hair would Brooks have even picked up on that potential red card? <\/p>\n
And we have a perfect example for comparison.<\/p>\n
In November 2020, Taylor was in charge of Leeds<\/a> against Arsenal<\/a> when, with the referee’s back turned, Nicolas Pepe walked up to Ezgjan Alioski and placed his forehead into the face of the North Macedonia international. <\/p>\n The level of contact does not seem too much different to Gabriel and Haaland’s clash, yet Alioski fell to the ground holding his face. <\/p>\n Pepe was sent off after a VAR review, with Gunners boss Mike Arteta saying at the time that his actions were “unacceptable”.<\/p>\n One problem the Premier League has is the high threshold for VAR intervention, which often means the most logical decisions are not reached.<\/p>\n It is why there are far more missed interventions (15) so far this season compared to incorrect ones (three), a trend which has been there throughout all seven seasons with video reviews. <\/p>\n Yet in an era where players seem eager to throw themselves to the ground, it is refreshing that Haaland did not over-react. <\/p>\n “If I go down like any other guy, it’s a red card,” Haaland said after the game. <\/p>\n “It’s not something I would do. My father taught me to stay on your feet.<\/p>\n “Should I have gone down? Maybe. Then it would’ve been easier.”<\/p>\n