Premier League icon Alan Shearer has unleashed a furious rant against Video Assistant Refereeing after witnessing what he called "a complete mess" during Chelsea's contentious 1-0 victory against Fulham.
The Match of the Day pundit, never one to mince his words, tore into the officiating team after they failed to award what appeared to be a clear penalty for Fulham when Chelsea's Levi Colwill blatantly hauled down Raúl Jiménez in the box during the first half.
Shearer's frustration reached boiling point when VAR official Michael Salisbury reviewed the incident but astonishingly decided against instructing on-field referee Anthony Taylor to take another look at the monitor.
"It's a penalty, it's a foul," Shearer declared emphatically on BBC's flagship highlights programme. "I cannot believe that VAR has not asked the referee to go to the screen. I'm absolutely amazed."
The drama didn't end there. Shearer also highlighted another moment of controversy when Chelsea's Armando Broja seemed to be pulled down in Fulham's penalty area later in the match. Again, VAR remained silent, leaving players, managers, and fans utterly bewildered.
The former England captain summed up the growing sentiment among football purists, stating: "We're all scratching our heads wondering what is going on. It's an absolute mess and we're no better off for it."
This latest VAR controversy adds fuel to the ongoing debate about the technology's implementation in English football. While intended to eliminate clear errors, moments like these at Stamford Bridge only serve to increase frustration and confusion among stakeholders.
Chelsea ultimately secured all three points through Cole Palmer's first-half penalty, but the talking points will undoubtedly centre around another weekend of VAR drama that left one of English football's most respected voices in a state of disbelief.
