Fans have been left fuming after VAR intervened to disallow Eberechi Eze’s thunderous free kick in the opening minutes against Chelsea.
Much of the talk centred around Eze before the game, with the 27-year-old starting despite informing the club of his decision to leave and join Tottenham Hotspur.
The two clubs are currently negotiating a transfer fee for the English international, with personal terms already said to be agreed.
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But the talk around Eze continued into the match after the midfielder thrashed a free kick past Robert Sanchez in the net to put the Eagles ahead - but VAR had other ideas.
VAR intervened to disallow a thunderous free kick from Eberechi Eze, who is expected to depart the club
|GETTY
In what was, in fairness, a relatively quick intervention, referee Darren England adjudged defender Marc Geuhi to be within one meter of the Chelsea wall.
The 25-year-old nudged midfielder Moises Caicedo away from the ball, which flew past them into the back of the net, but inadvertently put himself illegally close to the wall.
Chris Sutton spoke on commentary duties for Sky Sports, describing it as “frustration for Crystal Palace fans everywhere”.
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Huge cheers at Stamford Bridge as the goal is overturned by VAR for a foul on Moises Caicedo from Marc Guehi 🎥❌ pic.twitter.com/6AnospFRpG
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 17, 2025
The law that Geuhi is adjudged to have broken is as states: "Where three or more defending players form a 'wall', all attacking teasm players must remain at least one meter (one yard) from the 'wall' until the ball is in play."
Despite this, fans were quick to take to social media to condemn the decision.
One fan wrote: “The referee has DISALLOWED this. Horrendous decision. Horrendous VAR.”
Another said: ”New season. Same old VAR. Just ruining football.”
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A third added, “VAR absolutely ruining the game. 100% going to be controversy in [Manchester United] game later too.”
A fourth said: “13 minutes for the first VAR stinker of the season”, while a fifth wrote: “First Liverpool and now this? VAR should be gotten rid of.”
The decision came just 13 minutes into Crystal Palace’s first Premier League game of the season, and what is expected to be Eze’s last for the club.
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Referee Darren England announced his decision to the stadium
|GETTY
But it was Chelsea who were let off the hook by the decision, with general consensus online that VAR should not have intervened.
Elsewhere, Nottingham Forest took an early lead through veteran striker Chris Wood at the Forest Ground.
Later in the afternoon, Arsenal travel to Manchester United in the weekend’s blockbuster fixture.
United boss Ruben Amorim has left out £70million striker Rasmus Hojlund, as he makes it clear the Dane is not in his plans after the £75million signing of Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig earlier in the month.