Leeds v Arsenal nearly went ahead without Var – only to then decide result - Telegraph 16/10/22
Power surge forced 40-minute hiatus but Mikel Arteta was glad the issue was resolved, allowing Stockley Park to make crucial interventions
Sam Dean
Arsenal’s match at Leeds United almost went ahead without
Var or goal-line technology following a power surge at Elland Road that delayed
the game for 40 minutes, only to then play a crucial role in determining the
result.
The absence of the video technology could have had a serious
impact on the final result, as Arsenal held onto a 1-0 victory after a
stoppage-time penalty to Leeds had been overturned following a Var review.
Managers of both sides had discussed the possibility of
playing the match without any of the usual refereeing technology following the
power surge in the first minute of the match.
“There was a surge of power that put out the refereeing
system and the Var, the goal-line technology, everything,” said Jesse Marsch,
the Leeds head coach.
“They thought they could get it all back online but it would
take some time. There was a moment in there where it was possible that we were
even going to play without Var. But they got it all together. It was not an
easy day for the referees and administrators to handle but I think they did a
good job.”
Mikel Arteta, the Arsenal manager, admitted it would have
been a “different game” if it had indeed gone ahead without Var.
“We had to adapt to it and give them time to resolve the
issue,” said Arteta. “It was important because Var is really important and if
we played the game without it probably it would have been a different game.”
Arteta praised the resilience of his side as they maintained
their grip on first place in the Premier League table after an arduous week in
which they have beaten Liverpool and travelled to the Arctic Circle in Norway.