For those that are wondering, it’ll be the 23rd February I reckon. Yeah, Feb 23rd. The date I stop moaning about the current inconsistent use of VAR or V-A-R or whatever we supposed to call this farce that is blighting football more readily than the tactical foul.
Do you remember those heady days when anti-VAR campaigners said, “but what will people discuss in the pub after the game if we let video make all the decisions?” I’ll tell you what they will discuss in the pub – all the decisions they still manage to get wrong even though they get to watch it back 46 times on video.
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Of course, we are starting at Anfield where, seconds before City failed to clear the ball properly and Fabinho larruped the plastic off the ball, Pep was apoplectic that handball hadn’t been given against Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Don’t worry, Peppy G. This is the exact situation where VAR can come into its own.
I’d go as far as saying getting this one right, disallowing the goal and giving Sergio Aguero a chance to score his first at the home of Liverpool would be the turning point in the history of video technology in the English game.
What’s that? The video ref was getting a coffee? It’s a goal?
The thing is, I am not saying it is a clear and obvious error. I am not saying Trent meant it. I am not even saying that I would have given it. My point is, some of them get given and some of them do not get given – even in this alleged age of VAR will solve all refereeing errors that are ever made. Will they balls.
You’ve got refs either too keen to overturn the decisions made by their mate on the pitch or too scared to overturn the decisions made by their mate on the pitch.
But it’s OK though – they are getting pretty damn good at picking up those big toes that are offside, right?
City had to call on Claudio Bravo who just about got the nod over Kyle Walker to replace the injured Ederson. The problem is, about 18 months ago when Bravo was getting a game the narrative was that although he was OK with his feet, he was bobbins at saving shots with his hands and quite a lot got past him.
12 minutes in Liverpool? Two shots. Two goals. Would Ederson have saved both? You know what, he might have done. That third one from Mane? Even Kyle Walker would have kept that out.
When Pep was screaming ‘TWO HANDS, TWO HANDS!!’ at anyone that would listen you had to wonder if he was talking about his goalkeeper and not the fact he believed City had deserved two penalties.
It’s November though folks, this title isn’t over yet. Liverpool have thrown it away far nearer the line than this.
Back to VAR. If Chris Wilder thinks it is rubbish, who am I to disagree? Spurs would have been right back in the doo-doo again had the man with the screen not finally deduced that John Lundstrom’s toe-nail was offside in London.
Don’t worry about the fact that Spurs had failed to clear the ball properly from the cross, a touch was taken, the ball came back in then the goal was scored – oh, no. Let’s wind the tape back and find a reason to disallow it.
And better still, let’s take nearly five minutes to do it. They tried to find a way of chalking off United’s equaliser too, but they were (reluctantly) allowed to claim that one.
Spurs should probably consider just playing in Europe this season. They were very good in Belgrade and they were terrible back in the Premier League. VAR had more of a defensive impact on the match than Eric Dier and probably costs less to run each week.
People are talking about how Arsenal and Manchester United are way off the Champions League places this season, but if Tottenham don’t get the heads out of places where the sun doesn’t shine then they could find themselves playing Thursday night football next season.
Talking of Arsenal, who said Unai Emery isn’t a tactical genius? It takes a brave man to experiment with Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at wing-back when you go to the King Power.
And, credit to the boys, eh Unai? They showed a good attitude and stuck to your gameplan, didn’t they?
Emery is a deadman walking, Jose is hovering – just when you thought Arsenal couldn’t become any more of a mess. Unai has, understandably, called for calm – which sounded to me like he wants someone to make a rational decision and put him out of his misery.
As for Leicester, they are currently one point better off at this point than they were when they won the title. Jamie Vardy and James Maddison are doing for them what Dele Alli and Harry Kane used to do for Spurs (and England), so maybe Gareth Southgate might want to consider sending Rebekah a DM on Insta?
There was, of course, the obligatory VAR boo-boo but seeing that Leicester won and it didn’t affect the result I’ll let that one slide.
There’s something brewing at Stamford Bridge. Frank Lampard’s Chelsea march on, remaining patient and finally working out how to break down Crystal Palace’s stubborn rear-guard. Naturally, it was Tammy Abraham who scored – again. And he was joined on the scoresheet by Christian Pulisic, again.
Pulisic joined illustrious names like Roy Wegerle, Joe-Max Moore and Clint Dempsey for scoring in three consecutive Premier League matches. I know, who on earth was Joe-Max Moore?
On this form, you can book Chelsea in for one of the top-four spots.
One team that, hilariously, dreamed of challenging for the Premier League top six this season was West Ham United.
The thing is, they didn’t expect Lukasz Fabianski to get injured and have to pick that lump Roberto in goal – why didn’t they just retain Adrian?
The ‘keeper’ summed up West Ham’s current form far better than Declan Rice did, by punching a corner into his own net.
There are obvious calls for Manuel Pellegrini to be sacked now, but why? West Ham are probably where they deserve to be and probably where they will ever be given how badly the club has been run over the years – 18 months of Pellegrini isn’t to blame.
Mind you, Emery might be available soon.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer can head into the international break with a little twinkle back in those very jaded eyes.
Manchester United find themselves back where they belong – in the top half of the Premier League. They were better than Brighton in all departments and there was no guarantee that was going to be the case.
OK – they needed a huge deflection and a scrambled own-goal to get a foot in the game and Marcus Rashford really should have had four, but it’s progress.
Rashford managed to score the most difficult chance he had, before inexplicably missing from two-yards in a way Raheem Sterling was in danger of becoming famous for. But, it was three goals in a game for United at Old Trafford for the first time since they battered Chelsea and it was a welcome three points for anyone who doesn’t want to see Ole cry on TV.
Weirdly, beating Southampton might have helped Everton in the short-term but has certainly not helped them in the long-term.
Three points at St Mary’s guarantees Marco Silva will be in charge come the New Year whereas defeat would have probably seen them get shot.
Now it looks like the wrong manager is going to get sacked as Ralph Hasenhuttl looks like he’d be better off yodelling back in the Alps to get his mojo back. Richarlison managed to stay on his feet long enough to score the winner.
I’ll admit, I didn’t see Wolves beat Aston Villa but I did hear that the Villa left Ruben Neves unmarked from distance and he fired one home – well, if you’re going to let that happen you don’t deserve to win. It’s not as if he tries to do it every single week (and achieves it once in a while, too).
Trevor Sinclair says 'Pep Guardiola is on the cups' and claims top managers and players could leave Premier League over VAR
Is it about time Steve Bruce started getting some credit?
Newcastle won again and it was the most entertaining match at St James’ Park since the days of Kevin Keegan (the first time, definitely not the second time).
If they keep this up, someone might have to admit that Mike Ashley got it right (again).
Norwich City update: definitely going to get relegated, possibly by Valentine’s Day.