Howard Webb claims it would be ‘FOOLISH’ to take away VAR as referees chief speaks out on benefits of tool at the centre of match controversies amidst Turkish referee being punched to the ground and multiple Premier League errors

• Webb praised the use of VAR in the Premier League as ‘preventing mistakes’
• VAR has taken much of the limelight this season due to controversial mistakes 
• CHRIS SUTTON: I was RIGHT to call Man United players ‘snakes’ last week 

In a BBC Sport interview, referee’s chief Howard Webb has spoken out on VAR, an issue dividing football fans as the implementation continues to cause a stir on and off the pitch. 

After some huge mistakes in Premier League clashes, including Manchester United’s Andre Onana avoiding a card after punching Wolves’ Sasa Kalajzdic. Simon Hooper’s recent decision to blow the whistle on Man City’s clear path to goal, and the highly controversial Luis Diaz goal which ruled out Liverpool’s equaliser. 

Speaking to BBC Sport, Webb stated that it: ‘Would be foolish to take away a tool that can remove clear errors from the game – almost 40 this season. Usually we have seen around 100 situations rectified through the use of VAR. Why would you want to take that away and leave those errors in the game? 

‘I understand delays can cause frustration but sometimes they are unavoidable when you are doing the job diligently.

‘It protects the game from some clear errors and the thought of going into some big games without that facility there, I don’t think many referees would want that.’ 

Erling Haaland raged at the referee after Simon Hooper denied Jack Grealish the chance to play on and have a goal in their Premier League match against Tottenham 

Webb spoke out on the Turkish Super Lig clash after a referee was punched to the ground 

Tottenham’s Emerson Royal is shown yellow card by referee Hooper in a controversial match

Rebecca Welch will become the Premier League’s first female referee, which Webb praised

On whether refereeing standards are worse than before as a result of VAR, Webb disagreed. ‘The game is spoken about and scrutinised more and is probably less forgiving than ever. That factors into people’s perceptions.

‘There have been errors that live large. We have to accept that. I always hold my hands up if I get something wrong. Over time, you work to reduce them. But the reality is pretty positive. 

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Webb also discussed the attack on a referee earlier in the week, in which an official was punched to the ground by a club president, in what Webb described as ‘wholly unacceptable’.

Ankaragucu president Faruk Koca stormed onto the pitch after the final whistle and punched match referee Halil Umut Meler to the ground. 

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