Controversy surrounds VAR in Chelsea vs Arsenal, but Man City is the most frustrated

The early goal by Arsenal against Chelsea was validated by VAR, raising questions about the uniformity of offside rulings in the Carabao Cup.

Arsenal began their Carabao Cup semifinal against Chelsea perfectly when Ben White scored in the seventh minute at Stamford Bridge. The defender calmly made a run to the far post to meet Declan Rice’s precise corner and finished close range, giving the Gunners an early lead amid a tense atmosphere.

However, Arsenal’s joy was quickly met with controversy. At the moment the ball crossed the line, Viktor Gyokeres was deemed offside and obstructing Marc Guiu. The incident was immediately reviewed by VAR, but the check was very brief before the referee allowed the goal, leaving Chelsea questioning the decision.

Commenting on Sky Sports, Mark Chapman explained that VAR believed Gyokeres did not affect Chelsea’s defender’s ability to play the ball. He stated this was a subjective call, but VAR official Jarred Gillet quickly concluded there was no clear interference, allowing the match to continue without a lengthy delay.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink agreed with this ruling. The former Chelsea striker stated Arsenal executed the set-piece very effectively and Gyokeres did not genuinely attempt to challenge for the ball. Jamie Redknapp expressed relief at the swift VAR decision, noting that prolonged stoppages would disrupt the game’s rhythm and frustrate fans in the stadium.

The controversy intensified when compared to another Carabao Cup incident. In the Manchester City vs Newcastle match, a goal by Semenyo was disallowed because Erling Haaland was judged offside and obstructing defender Malick Thiaw, even though the Norwegian striker did not touch the ball during the shot.

This decision provoked much criticism, including from Chris Sutton, who argued that VAR was overly strict and inconsistent. Although Newcastle temporarily benefited, Man City finished the match with a strong advantage thanks to a late goal by Rayan Cherki, but debate over offside standards continues to simmer.