Marco Silva Questions VAR Decisions After Fulham's Loss to Aston Villa
Fulham manager Marco Silva expressed his frustration over the video assistant referee (VAR) decisions that negatively impacted his team during their 3-1 defeat to Aston Villa on Sunday.
The match began positively for Fulham as Raul Jimenez scored in the third minute. However, the visitors had two penalty appeals denied shortly thereafter, both involving Josh King.
Aston Villa equalized just before halftime with a goal from Ollie Watkins, followed by two quick goals from John McGinn and Emi Buendia early in the second half, securing the hosts their first Premier League victory of the season.
Silva shared his disbelief regarding the VAR decisions during an interview with BBC Match of the Day, stating, "It is difficult for us—impossible—to understand the VAR decisions today." He elaborated to Sky Sports, "I have reviewed the incidents, and they are astonishing. I respect the officials and their explanations, but we cannot comprehend them. If a player is fouled inside the box, it is a penalty everywhere in the world."
Contentious VAR Decisions Explained
The first controversial incident occurred in the 22nd minute when King fell under a challenge from Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez inside the penalty area, but was cautioned for simulation instead. The Premier League Match Centre later confirmed that VAR upheld the referee's decision, asserting that King went to ground before any contact was made.
Just two minutes later, King's shot struck Matty Cash's outstretched arm in the box, yet referee Andy Madley dismissed the penalty appeal once again. The Premier League Match Centre stated that VAR reviewed the decision and confirmed that Cash's arm position was not deemed a handball offense.
According to the International Football Association Board (IFAB), Law 12 regarding handball specifies that a player infringes the law when they "touch the ball with their hand/arm when it has made their body unnaturally bigger." It further clarifies that a player's arm is considered unnaturally bigger when its position is not justified by their body movement in that situation.
In this case, officials determined that Cash's arm movement was justifiable. Former England goalkeeper Joe Hart commented on BBC Sport, saying, "The first incident wasn’t a penalty, but it shouldn’t have been a yellow card either. Emi Martinez pressured King, who then attempted to navigate the challenge. I don’t think anything serious occurred. Regarding the second incident with Matty Cash, I believed it was a penalty. His arms were out, and it was clear the shot was heading for the corner. I’m confused about the current rules, as I assumed that was a penalty, but it appears it isn’t."
Silva's Ongoing VAR Concerns
Silva has raised concerns about the frequency of unfavorable decisions against his team. After a 2-0 loss to Chelsea on August 30, he expressed disbelief that a goal, which would have given Fulham the lead, was disallowed following a lengthy VAR review due to a foul by Rodrigo Muniz in the buildup.
In that same match, Fulham was awarded a penalty after Ryan Sessegnon was penalized for handball. Silva argued that Cash's situation against Villa mirrored that incident, yet he felt inconsistent rulings were applied.
"I want to question the officials," Silva stated. "I would like them to clarify how Cash's position was considered normal, especially when Sessegnon’s incident was ruled a penalty. It has been very challenging for us."