Worst VAR Premier League decisions in 2021 from Kane foul to Diagne offside goal

A total of 128 goals or incidents were directly affected by the video assistant referee in England's top-flight during the 2020-21 season.

Several high-profile gaffes meant VAR was overhauled for the current campaign but 59 goals or incidents have still been flagged to Stockley Park.

Two of those were highly controversial decisions made only last weekend in Liverpool's draw with Tottenham and Manchester City's win over Newcastle.

And they will be the first one's talkSPORT.com discuss as we investigate VAR's worst Premier League decisions of 2021.

Lewis Dunk's free-kick fiasco in Brighton's 1-0 defeat to West Brom is given a pass as VAR were forced to counter referee Lee Mason's mistake.

Harry Kane v Liverpool

Kane's status as England captain spared him from being sent off for a late tackle on Andy Robertson on Sunday, says Perry Groves.

Shortly after netting his first home Premier League goal of the season, Kane was yellow carded after leaving the Reds left-back in a heap.

Jurgen Klopp was later cautioned by referee Paul Tierney for his animated protests in what was an enthralling 2-2 draw in north London.

The Reds boss was particularly aggrieved that VAR ignored Kane's tackle but did play a role in Robertson's red card challenge on Emerson later in the match.

Ryan Fraser v Man City

The other highly debated decision of the weekend was VAR's decision not to award Newcastle a penalty during their 4-0 defeat to Pep Guardiola's side.

With the Magpies trailing 2-0, City keeper Ederson wiped Fraser off the ball in the area but on-field official Martin Atkinson waved play on.

And VAR didn't afford Newcastle the opportunity to grab a lifeline from the penalty spot as Cancelo was deemed to have come away with the ball.

Jamie Redknapp said: "That's an idea of not knowing what's going on. That's just a terrible excuse. You can see he wipes him out."

Ben Godfrey v Arsenal

Everton came from behind to beat the Gunners at the start of December to secure their first win since September in a battling performance.

And no player demonstrated the Toffees fighting spirit like Godfrey who was involved in several crunching tackles on Bukayo Saka.

But he did his most robust one just before the half-hour mark as replays showed him standing on Takehiro Tomiyasu.

Godrfey left a scar on the Arsenal defender's face but didn't even receive a yellow card as VAR found his challenge to be accidental.

Gary Neville disagreed, saying: "As a professional, he 100% means that.

"I can see why VAR has said it is accidental, we couldn't prove it but as a professional he meant it but I can see why it is not a red."

Jannik Vestergaard v Brighton

The Leicester defender was harshly penalised for handball during the Foxes' 2-1 defeat at the Amex in September.

Vestergaard had been pulled to the ground in the box by Seagulls striker Neal Maupay who added insult to injury by converting the spot-kick.

Brendan Rodgers said: "We just never had the luck on our side with those decisions and I think ultimately that cost us.

"Probably like everyone, I think the first one was never a penalty and I was disappointed with the process in terms of how that was given but I think it was clear that it wasn't a penalty.

"Jannik has been fouled, he's been pulled down and of course his arm is up because he's been fouled and then the ball heads onto his hand without even looking at it."

Mbaye Diagne v Southampton

The Senegalese's loan at West Brom didn't quite go as planned as he couldn't score the goals to keep the Baggies in the Premier League.

But perhaps Diagne's confidence hitting the net wasn't helped when VAR were allowing perfectly legitimate goals of his to be chalked off.

Diagne helped in Darnell Furlong's shot with his head however the goal wasn't awarded as the Baggies striker was flagged offside.

TV replays appeared to show Diagne was onside, while teammate Kyle Bartley, who was behind him, was stood offside - althought he was inactive.

The Premier League said in a statement to talkSPORT: "They couldn't get an angle that conclusively showed whether Diagne's upper body was onside or offside, so they have stuck with on-field decision."

Mario Lemina v Tottenham

VAR's decision to rule out Fulham's equaliser in their 1-0 defeat to Spurs in March proved so controversial that the handball rule was changed.

And ironically, the new laws meant Mohamed Salah's part in Robertson's goal during the 2-2 draw at Tottenham on Sunday went unpunished.

Not that that will bring any comfort to Lemina who was penalised for handball in the build-up to Fulham's equaliser against their London rivals.

Davinson Sanchez's clearance from point blank range rebounded off his arm - which was also down at his sides - before Josh Maja swept home.

Jan Bednarek v Man United

Man United thrashed the Saints 9-0 in February in a match which saw 'the worst use of VAR in the history of the Premier League'.

Southampton were already up against it following Alexandre Jankewitz's early red card and found themselves four goals behind at the break.

The eighth, scored by Bruno Fernandes from the penalty spot, was particularly controversial after Bednarek was adjudged to have fouled Antony Martial.

Onlookers largely agreed Martial had gone down without being touched by Bednarek, only for Dean to be told to consult the pitchside monitor and then stick by his penalty decision - AND send off Bednarek!

The red card was later rescinded but at the time it prompted talkSPORT's Hugh Woozencroft to deem it 'the worst use of VAR' in Premier League history.

Phil Foden v Southampton

The Man City ace was even told he wouldn't be blamed for DIVING in the future after he was denied a penalty in a 5-2 win over the Saints in January.

Referee Jon Moss failed to point to the spot after Foden appeared to be taken down by Saints goalkeeper Alex McCarthy and VAR did not intervene.

"There's definitely contact, without a doubt," Adrian Durham told talkSPORT. "And actually, you raise a good point.

"Having said that, if Phil Foden then does dive, I wouldn't blame him. You imagine what is running through his head now.

"He's thinking, 'It was tight at that point; Southampton had played well at that point, they weren't give the penalty.'

"So should he have gone down and stayed down?"