Newcastle’s Ryan Fraser questions Premier League's use of VAR

Frustrated Fraser left questioning the effectiveness of VAR after being denied two penalty appeals

Newcastle winger Ryan Fraser has questioned the Premier League’s VAR decisions after a challenge by Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold on Thursday, and another by Manchester City’s Ederson on Sunday, did not receive VAR intervention.

Ederson’s challenge on Fraser was deemed a clear tackle by Referee Martin Atkinson who let the game go on, Craig Pawson on VAR duty did not call back the referee’s attention to the incident.

However the decision did not go well with Eddie Howe and his side as The Magpies who lost four nil to City to remain second from bottom with ten points, and only a better goal difference over last place Norwich.

Speaking to NUFC TV, Fraser said: “It’s a pen, as simple as that. Even if the ball is getting away, he took me out.

“It’s just like anything else, if somebody else got the ball and I just volley someone in the middle of the pitch, is that not a free-kick? I don’t really get it.

“That’s two pens now I feel I should have had. Everyone has got their own opinions, but the referees just need to be more… I don’t know what the word is for it.

“It’s just one decision one week and you’re thinking, ‘How’s that a pen?’, and then it happens the next week and it’s not a pen and it’s no-one gets it. Players don’t get it; managers don’t get it. It’s how it is.”

“There’s no consistency, there’s always something – and that’s what VAR is for. If there’s no VAR there, then you take it. It’s the game, referees are going to make mistakes.

“But that’s what VAR is there for, to not make mistakes, so there’s no point in having it. It takes so long for things to happen, there’s no point in having it nowadays, I feel. It ruins the game.”

Newcastle have now lost three of their last five league fixtures, with their only win of this campaign coming in against Burnley earlier in the month.