'Some certainty': Eddie Howe has mixed views on VAR with the issue now in the spotlight thanks to Wolves

VAR is under the microscope again after Wolverhampton Wanderers filed a motion for it to be scrapped next season a few hours before Newcastle United were robbed by its improper use.

On Wednesday, just before Newcastle and Manchester United kicked off, it came to light that Wolves were trying to push through a vote on the future of VAR at the next Premier League Annual General Meeting on 6th June.

Reports since then have suggested that the majority of clubs will vote in favour of keeping VAR, but at least the conversation is being had again and hopefully, if nothing else, this will lead to a reform in how VAR is used as it's currently hardly fit for purpose.

The incident on Wednesday night with Anthony Gordon being fouled by Amrabat in the box and VAR waving away the penalty without so much as a second glance was a huge case in point. Images after the incident showed Gordon's sock had been torn and his skin broken all down his achilles, but VAR ruled there was nothing in it.

Eddie Howe is not a fan of VAR

Eddie Howe was asked about his thoughts on VAR this morning in his pre-match presser and he said (via The Chronicle) that he's never been a fan of it.

"I said after the game, my view has always been the same. I'm not a massive VAR fan. I don't think it was used right on Weds. I thought it was a clear penalty and I was very confused as to why that was so quickly ruled out.

"I like it for offsides because there is some certainty. I think for the rest of it., it is someone's opinion and I like that power to be with the referees."

The semi-automated offside system comes into effect next season

The semi-automated offside system is coming into play next season which will see real-time 3D images created which will show exactly whether or not a player is offside. The system was used to good effect in the World Cup in Qatar but the Premier League opted against employing it last season, but have now seen sense.

That system is fine as it takes the human element out of it, but as Howe said, the rest is down to the opinion and interpretation of humans and they so often get it wrong.

Every club has benefitted from a poor VAR decision and indeed benefitted from a correct one, but it was introduced to remove that element of doubt and so far all it has done has increased it.