Brentford defeated Reading 2-1 in the EFL Cup to secure their place in the fourth round of the competition. Following the match, Brentford head coach Keith Andrews expressed concern that the presence of VAR in the sport is preventing referees from making on-field decisions, arguing that officials should be allowed to be human and accept that mistakes occur.
Reading manager Leam Richardson highlighted a specific incident during the game, describing referee Tom Nield’s decision to disallow Paudie O'Connor’s overhead kick for a high boot as one of the three worst officiating errors he has witnessed in his career.
Although the managers discussed the impact of video technology, VAR was not in use during this fixture. The debate surrounding officiating standards follows a recent admission by Pro Ref regarding an error of judgement involving an offside position during a match between Manchester City and Manchester United.