Credit: Imago

Daniel Davis

Mon 30 March 2026 8:40, UK

Leeds United were clearly right all along when it comes to the use of VAR in the Premier League.

Daniel Farke’s side have found themselves on the wrong end of controversial decisions too many times this season, with multiple errors committed just in March alone.

While these incidents may eventually even themselves out, they have not aided the Whites’ relegation dogfight, with just four points separating them from the drop zone.

Now, supporters of every top-flight club have taken a stand against the technology, with a new survey revealing that 75 per cent of those polled “didn’t support the use of VAR”.

Leeds travel to West Ham and Manchester United when domestic action resumes after the international break, and they will hope that they aren’t made to pay for poor officiating again.

VAR given brutal Premier League verdict

The recent poll, conducted by the Football Supporters’ Association, delivered a resounding message: that matchgoers believe VAR takes too long and is too much of a joy-killer.

Only 18 per cent of respondents agreed that “VAR has improved the overall accuracy of refereeing decisions”, and Leeds matchgoers are certainly among the naysayers.

Contentious decisions have sometimes proved the difference in matches involving the Elland Road outfit, and Farke has increasingly voiced his irritation during his media duties.

On March 3, Leeds lost 1-0 at home against Sunderland, but the hosts were denied a clear penalty after Luke O’Nien grappled with Pascal Struijk inside the penalty area.

Farke described the decision not to penalise him as “crazy”, while he was similarly angered by a failure to award a spot-kick during the defeat by Manchester City on February 28.

The 49-year-old was sent off on the latter occasion after jogging onto the pitch to speak with referee Peter Bankes, and later vowed not to repeat his protestations.

Then, in the goalless draw with Crystal Palace, Gabriel Gudmundsson was shown a second yellow card by Thomas Bramall. Two weeks later, the Premier League’s Key Match Incidents Panel unanimously voted that he should not have been booked for his “minimal contact”.

The KMI panel stated that there had been 18 VAR errors committed this campaign, equalling the total for the entirety of last season, but that number is already likely to have increased.

What is being done about VAR errors?

Marcelo Biela’s timeless warning on football’s decline rings true today, with VAR delays ruining goal celebrations and sucking the atmosphere out of matches.

Supporters up and down the Premier League will surely agree that we can no longer label football “beautiful” as long as the technology is used to scrutinise every incident forensically.

The findings from the FSA survey have been shared with the Premier League and the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), but they are unlikely to act on them.

Instead, they will maintain the status quo, committed to VAR and its robotic, joy-crushing nature for the foreseeable future. Leeds will hope it doesn’t condemn them to the drop.