Exclusive: Mark Clattenburg Weighs In on VAR Controversy and Whether West Ham Deserved Free-Kick Before Liverpool’s Decisive Corner

Alexis Mac Allister appeared to foul Lucas Paqueta moments before winning the corner that led to Liverpool’s opening goal against West Ham, with Dutchman Cody Gakpo converting.

West Ham’s No.10, visibly frustrated, was clearly unhappy with referee Andy Madley for not calling the challenge.

Many fans questioned why VAR didn’t intervene, but a relatively obscure rule clarifies that incidents occurring before a corner kick are not subject to VAR review.

This policy has sparked debate about its fairness and whether it should be updated.

Speaking exclusively to TBR Football, former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg weighed in on the issue.

He offered his thoughts on the incident and whether he believed Mac Allister’s challenge warranted a foul.

Clattenburg defended Madley’s decision, suggesting that Paqueta exaggerated the contact.

The 50-year-old former official claimed the Brazilian made more of the challenge than it deserved and praised the rule excluding VAR checks before corners.

“I personally didn’t see Mac Allister’s challenge on Paqueta as a foul,” Clattenburg told TBR Football. “Paqueta seemed to overreact to the minimal contact by throwing himself down unnaturally.”

He continued, “Paqueta needs to show more strength when shielding the ball.

I don’t think VAR should get involved in every incident, as it risks diminishing the referee’s authority.

Constant checks could frustrate players, managers, and fans alike.”

Clattenburg added that checking for fouls before corners would lead to a slippery slope: “If we start reviewing fouls before corners, soon we’ll be checking every throw-in.

VAR should be reserved for major errors, not every small detail.”

This stance is consistent with Clattenburg’s previous comments, including his response to Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou, who recently criticized the increasing delays caused by lengthy VAR checks in Premier League matches.

In related officiating news, the Premier League introduced semi-automated offside technology last weekend.

The new system closely mirrors goal-line technology by providing quick, definitive decisions.

The debut was well-received, offering clear offside rulings within seconds during several matches.

This is a significant improvement over the lengthy manual reviews that have often caused delays this season.

If the semi-automated offside system continues to deliver accurate and fast decisions, it could significantly enhance the flow of Premier League matches.

It represents a promising step forward in the use of technology in football officiating.