In the wake of a controversial decision during Manchester United's recent Champions League defeat in Denmark, former Liverpool player Jamie Carragher has demanded that the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system be scrapped.
The match, which saw United lose 4-3 to Copenhagen, was marred by three key VAR interventions that left United's boss Erik ten Hag and many fans unimpressed.
VAR awards two penalties on top of Rashford red card
During the match, VAR was called upon three times, each decision causing a stir among fans, pundits and players alike. The first of these was a red card given to Marcus Rashford in the 42nd minute for a challenge on Elias Jelert. This was followed by penalties awarded to both teams for handball incidents in the box.
United had initially taken a two-goal lead thanks to Rasmus Hojlund's brace. However, following Rashford's dismissal, Copenhagen managed to score two goals just before half-time, courtesy of former Southampton winger Mohamed Elyounoussi and Diogo Goncalves.
A third VAR decision in the 69th minute went in United's favour, allowing Bruno Fernandes to restore their lead from the penalty spot. Despite this, Copenhagen managed to secure a win with late goals from Lukas Lerager and 17-year-old substitute Roony Bardghji.
Carragher fumes on X about Rashford VAR red card
Carragher, a Liverpool legend and now a regular pundit for Sky Sports in the UK and CBS Sports in the US, expressed his disbelief and frustration over the VAR decisions on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter).
He was particularly incensed by the penalty awarded to United.
Sky Sports pundit, Jamie Carragher, posted:
'The game has gone! Get rid of VAR, that's a disgrace.'
He also sympathised with Rashford over his red card, criticising the use of slow-motion replays and still images that, in his view, exaggerated the severity of the challenge.
Jamie Carragher, regular on CBS Sports, added:
'No way is that a red card for Rashford! Hate these slow-motion replays and still images that make everything look 10 times worse," Carragher added.'
Erik ten Hag blames Copenhagen loss on Rashford decision
United boss Erik ten Hag attributed the defeat to Rashford's dismissal. The result has dealt a significant blow to United's chances of progressing to the last 16 of the Champions League [https://sporticos.com/en-gb/league/uefa-champions-league]. They currently sit at the bottom of their qualifying group, with two challenging games ahead against Bayern Munich - who have already qualified - at Old Trafford and Galatasaray in Turkey.
The Dutchman is under increasing pressure as Man United endure one of their worst runs of form in decades. Many fans are beginning to turn on the manager but for now his job remains safe.
The controversy surrounding the VAR decisions in this match has reignited the debate about the system's effectiveness and fairness. As the discussion continues, it remains to be seen whether Carragher's call for the VAR to be scrapped will gain traction among other football pundits and fans.
