Now Keir Starmer wades into the VAR offside row: Labour leader calls for reform of football’s rules to stop ‘a toenail of difference’ ruining big moments like Coventry’s disallowed FA Cup ‘winner’ against Man United
Labour leader Keir Starmer has called for football’s offside rules to be changed after Coventry City were denied a historic winning goal in the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United on Sunday.
Coventry trailed 3-0 heading into the final 20 minutes at Wembley but mounted a stunning comeback to force extra time, and thought they had completed the turnaround in the final minute when substitute Victor Torp tapped home from close range.
There was pandemonium in the Coventry end, and the players all celebrated wildly as well, but following a VAR check the goal was disallowed due to a marginal offside in the build-up.
It was a desperately close call that sparked debate among fans after United went on to win the subsequent penalty shootout, and Starmer now wants the offside law to be reformed.
Starmer’s complaints about the current rules echoed the thoughts of Coventry boss Mark Robins after Sunday’s game, as he bemoaned forward Haji Wright being offside by a ‘toenail’ and labelled the decision ‘ridiculous’.
Starmer, who is an Arsenal fan, was joined at the debate by Gunners legend Martin Keown.
However, ex-defender Keown had a very different view on the offside row.
‘It is the one area that we can get right,’ Keown said. ‘It is objective, not subjective. He is definitely off. If he is off, he is off. He is unlucky, but we all have to try and accept it.
‘As a pundit now we have to be very careful. We need to respect the decision. OK, the officials sometimes get it wrong… but these are teething problems.
Arsenal legend Martin Keown joined Starmer for the debate, but has no issue with the current offside rule
‘We are in the early years of it and let’s hope it gets a lot better going forward.’
Part of the issue with VAR offside calls has been the time it takes to come to a final decision, with Coventry’s players finishing their celebration on Sunday before the goal was ruled out.
However, semi-automated offside technology is due to be introduced to the Premier League next season, and this could speed up checks by 30 seconds.
The technology, which was first used at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, could also be in place for the latter stages of next year’s FA Cup, which may prevent a repeat of the long wait that Coventry players experienced in the final minute at Wembley on the weekend.
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