Let them ref the games and be humans - Andrews

Brentford's head coach Keith Andrews has expressed his dissatisfaction with the role of video assistant referees (VAR) in football matches. After Brentford secured a 2-1 victory over League One side Reading, Andrews lamented the lack of reliance on VAR at the stage of the EFL Cup. Referee Tom Nield had disallowed Brentford's Paudie O Connor's goal for a high boot, which led Royals boss Leam Richardson to label the decision among the worst he had witnessed in his career.

Speaking about the current state of refereeing, Andrews stated that he believes technology is inhibiting referees from making decisions independently. He argued that officials should be able to exercise their judgment and make mistakes, rather than being bound by the oversight of VAR. Andrews emphasized the importance of building a relationship with officials based on mutual respect, enabling them to make errors while still allowing them to officiate.

The discussion around VAR came to the forefront following Pro Ref's admission of an error in awarding Manchester City's winning goal in their Premier League match against Manchester United. The goal was initially ruled out for an offside infringement involving Enzo Fernandez, who was in an offside position, interfering with play as he headed the ball. VAR did not interfere, and the goal stood. Andrews described the Manchester derby's refereeing as "pretty alarming" given the contentious decision.