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'Leg-breaker': Outrage as VAR gaffe sees horror tackle go unpunished

The VAR has again dominated the headlines in the Premier League after a string of controversies across several matches.

Arguably the most shocking incident of the lot saw officials fail to send off Tottenham's Giovani Lo Celso for stamping on Cesar Azpilicueta during the Blues' win at Stamford Bridge.

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Olivier Giroud and Marcos Alonso - handed rare starts by Lampard - scored the goals in a 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur as the Blues swept Spurs this season to move four points clear in fourth place.

However, much of the talk centred around a call by VAR not to send off Tottenham midfielder Lo Celso for an apparent stamp on Azpilicueta in the second half that looked worse on each replay.

The Premier League later said it should have been a red card.

"Everybody in the world, in football, saw that was a red," an exasperated Lampard said after the match.

Azpilicueta, sporting an ice pack taped to his leg, was happy with his team's victory, but incensed by the earlier VAR mistake.

"I'm not a player who likes to be on the floor. I am tough. But it was a clear stamp on my shin, I felt it straight away and was surprised it wasn't a red card. It wasn't even a yellow card! Everybody can make a mistake but when you have a lot of replays it should be easier," he told BT Sport.

Lampard described Lo Celso's foul as a "leg-breaker" tackle and insisted that VAR officials needed to do better in the future.

"It was a tackle that endangers a player, saying after that they made a mistake isn't good enough," he said.

Officials have admitted Giovani Lo Celso should have been red-carded for the tackle on Cesar Azpilicueta.
Giovani Lo Celso should have received a red card for the tackle on Cesar Azpilicueta. Pic: Optus Sport/Getty

"That's what VAR was brought in for. It's a huge question mark on VAR. This one doesn't need the referee to go to the monitor, it's a clear decision."

Alarmingly, the incident was by no means the only VAR controversy to dominate the headlines, with two other matches punctuated by contentious moments.

VAR drama overshadows several matches

In the late game, Manchester City won 1-0 at Leicester City helped by a VAR decision not to award a penalty even though Kevin De Bruyne raised his arms to block a free kick in his own area.

"For me it's a clear penalty. We're disappointed we didn't get a penalty, for me it's so clear," Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers said.

The visitors then were awarded a spot kick by VAR in the second half when a shot from Ilkay Gundogan hit the raised right arm of Dennis Praet.

Sergio Aguero had his penalty saved but his blushes were spared by Gabriel Jesus, who went on as a substitute for his fellow striker and scored an 80th-minute.

City players have now missed four penalties in a row in the league, the other three by Raheem Sterling, Jesus and Ilkay Gundogan.

Second-placed City are now seven points ahead of third-placed Leicester but still 19 points adrift of leaders Liverpool.

At Turf Moor, relegation-threatened Bournemouth were denied two goals by VAR for contentious handballs in their 3-0 loss to Burnley - one of which resulted in conceding a penalty at the other end for an incident that occurred 15 seconds earlier.

"It's very difficult. I've got to be careful what I say," Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe said.

"After that (VAR call), I think we were psychologically spent."

Elsewhere, Socceroos Aaron Mooy and Mat Ryan helped Brighton & Hove Albion earn a 1-1 draw with high-flying Sheffield United.

Neal Maupay cancelled out Enda Stevens' strike to earn a point for the sixth-placed visitors while Brighton are 15th, four points clear of the drop zone.

Aston Villa are just one point above the relegation zone after their 2-0 loss to Southampton, who scored early through Shane Long and late - in the fifth minute of stoppage time - through Stuart Armstrong.

Crystal Palace eased any relegation concerns by beating Newcastle United 1-0 to jump above them into 13th.

With AAP