West Ham would have been aided by VAR, but not saved

West Ham were given a demonstration on the gulf at the top of the Premier League on Sunday. Despite one goal being offside, Liverpool were deserved winners in the end.

West Ham were always going to struggle away at Liverpool on the opening day. We’ve only won away at Anfield once in the last 50 years and this is one of the best Liverpool sides, if not the best, of the Premier League era. But some are saying that VAR could have softened the blow. All it would have done is slightly alter the scoreline.

When Mane poked in his second and Liverpool’s third, it was obvious to most of the ground that Mane was offside. The linesman, in a perfect position, somehow decided that he was onside and allowed the goal to stand. Whilst it did take the wind out of a reshifted Hammers sails, that wind was hardly a gale. That being said, it’s ridiculous we don’t have VAR for decisions like this.

More from Green Street Hammers - West Ham

• Brighton vs West Ham predictions: Can James Ward-Prowse help end the curse?
• West Ham and two Premier League rivals made huge transfer stand
• Lucas Paqueta bet allegations discussed in West Ham and Man City transfer talks
• Bournemouth vs West Ham predictions: Premier League opener amid transfer chaos
• West Ham near Denis Zakaria transfer after final James Ward-Prowse bid

Not this time, but in the future

With the Hammers not exactly producing moments of magic in this match, the third goal was more a matter of when than if. That being said, it’s not a case of this match, it’s a case of we can solve this. We saw in the World Cup that VAR, when used properly, can stop large miscarriages of justice on the football pitch.

I understand that a lot of people have issues with VAR when it is being used on decisions that require judgement. Is that a deliberate handball or did he have no chance? Did he catch the player on the ankle just as he got the ball? Those are tough. Offsides/blatant dives should not be allowed to have any influence on the result at all.

Mane was clearly offside, and 10 seconds of the VAR ref looking at it would have determined it was offside. Goal overruled, game carries on. Simple. Nothing is fundamentally changed, the referee wouldn’t even need to check with the screen on the side of the pitch. All the video ref would need to do is just tell the ref he was clearly offside and we all carry on.

West Ham would have still lost, maybe even by the same scoreline, on Sunday. But the fact the Premier League is still not getting with the times in regards to technology in the sport is not acceptable. To have any decision stand that would change a result would be ridiculous if it is as obvious as Mane’s second goal on Sunday.