Gary Lineker has delivered a scathing criticism of the VAR experience for match-going fans after witnessing Manchester United's penalty drama against Fulham firsthand. The former England striker described the technology's implementation as "awful" for supporters in the stadium during Sunday's 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage.
Manchester United were awarded a penalty in the first half after Calvin Bassey was deemed to have fouled Mason Mount during a corner. Bruno Fernandes stepped up to take the spot-kick but blazed his effort over the crossbar, missing a crucial opportunity to give his side the lead.
VAR confusion in the stands
Lineker revealed his bewilderment during the VAR review process whilst speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast. "There's a corner and then the ball's cleared, the ball goes up to the other end of the pitch and Fulham's on the attack," he explained.
"Then suddenly the ref stops and you're thinking, 'What's going on here?' You see a sign saying VAR penalty check. And I was honestly sitting there and I said 'For which team, who to?' I didn't even know whether it was that end or that end, and you had no idea what was going on."
The 64-year-old emphasised how the lack of communication creates problems for supporters. "They've got to actually tell you what's going on for the fans in the ground to hear it," Lineker said. "There's a penalty check because so and so, we think he might have pushed so and so, but we're checking all the angles."
Penalty drama and controversy
According to Metro, referee Chris Kavanagh accidentally bumped into Fernandes before the penalty, potentially disrupting his routine. The incident has drawn additional criticism, with Craig Burley calling Fernandes' reaction to the referee bump "beyond embarrassing" and "childish," as reported by Metro.
Calvin Bassey defended his physical approach and called the penalty miss "justice," according to the Mirror. Despite agreeing the penalty decision was correct, Lineker highlighted the broader communication issues that make VAR "such an awful experience for fans."
Match outcome and implications
Leny Yoro appeared to break the deadlock in the 58th minute with a deflected header, though this was credited as a Rodrigo Muniz own goal. Emile Smith Rowe equalised for Fulham in the 73rd minute after being introduced as a substitute.
The result leaves Manchester United with just one point from their opening two Premier League matches of the 2025/26 season. Manager Ruben Amorim acknowledged his side must handle matches more effectively when in front, whilst Fulham boss Marco Silva criticised several officiating decisions throughout the encounter.
Sources used: "Manchester Evening News", "Mirror", "Metro" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
