Premier League to seek PGMOL explanation over 5 min 37 sec West Ham VAR check at next sit-down… after demanding improvements over concerns delays are damaging their product

• West Ham’s draw with Aston Villa was overshadowed by another long VAR check 
• The Premier League warned last month that VAR decisions are taking too long 
• The Premier League has to wake up! More than 5 minutes for a VAR check… what about the paying customers in the stadium? – It’s All Kicking Off podcast 

The PGMOL face having to explain why VAR took an embarrassing five minutes and 37 seconds to disallow West Ham’s winner against Aston Villa, just a month after the Premier League warned the refereeing body that lengthy delays are damaging their product.

Sunday’s check at the London Stadium was the longest since VAR entered the English game in 2019 as supporters in attendance complained they had no idea what was happening while Stockley Park decided whether Tomas Soucek had handled the ball before scoring.

The Premier League frequently speak to the PGMOL about their performance and it is understood they will discuss that disastrous delay at their next conversation about operational matters. It follows on from Tony Scholes, the league’s chief football officer, complaining in February that checks are taking too long and that improvements must be made.

Referee Jarred Gillett gave the goal in real time to leave West Ham thinking they had snatched a 2-1 victory over Villa, only for VAR to eventually decide the ball had struck Soucek’s arm after an excruciating wait. While the Premier League prides itself on being the world’s best for providing entertainment, fans found it a highly frustrating experience as they were left in dark amid that delay, only aware that a check was ongoing.

West Ham will not complain to the PGMOL – headed up by Howard Webb since December 2022 – with one source telling Mail Sport they see no point in seeking feedback because they have to ‘just accept’ what happened at the London Stadium.

The Premier League have admitted they are not satisfied with how fans are experiencing VAR, though that is largely down to football’s lawmakers IFAB, who do not allow audio to be broadcast live. In a bid to improve the mood, the Premier League are set to allow referees to announce the outcome of VAR decisions to the crowd inside stadiums as of next season.

One former Premier League official told Mail Sport yesterday that the lengthy checks are a consequence of VARs being frightened to come to a conclusion, adding: ‘That’s why it took so long to rule out West Ham’s goal. They’re worried about an angle cropping up later which shows they were wrong and then suddenly, they’re dropped from the next round of matches.

‘They saw what happened with Michael Salisbury (after failing to award Wolves a stoppage-time penalty at Manchester United) and Darren England (after disallowing Luis Diaz’s strike for Liverpool at Tottenham). If you get it wrong, you face the very public punishment of not being appointed a match the following week.’