"The worst thing ever" - NBA superstar Joel Embiid launches scathing attack on VAR after Manchester City 2-2 Liverpool
Philadelphia 76ers player Joel Embiid has slammed the VAR in the aftermath of Manchester City’s draw with Liverpool on Sunday afternoon. According to the basketball star, on-field referees should be the only ones officiating a football match.
Premier League table-toppers Manchester City played out an entertaining 2-2 draw with second-placed Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. Kevin de Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus each scored a goal for the hosts, while Diogo Jota and Sadio Mane struck for the Reds.
In the second half, City’s Raheem Sterling scored the third, but it was ruled out for offside by the VAR.
Man City vs. Liverpool lived up to the hype 🔥 https://t.co/zCtwZNGHcU
Embiid was presumably ticked off by that decision, claiming that VAR was “the worst thing” ever in football. Expressing his views on Twitter, the 28-year-old wrote:
“VAR has to be the worst thing ever… just let the referees make decisions and live with the results.”
The VAR’s inclusion has been a controversial topic in football, and we believe the debate will rage on for generations. While the VAR certainly has its shortcomings, it is still quite essential in maintaining fairness and transparency in football.
If the system is further fine-tuned and is deployed more sensibly, we could see fairer decisions and outcomes in the coming years and decades.
Manchester City have fate in their hands after draw with Liverpool
With a solitary point separating the two teams, Manchester City welcomed Liverpool to the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. Coming into the match on the back of ten consecutive Premier League wins, the Reds were confident of getting a positive result. City’s opener in the fifth minute, however, took the wind out of their sails as they struggled to impose their authority.
They did equalize in the 13th minute but were not in command of the game. The hosts continued to dominate proceedings and scored the go-ahead goal through Jesus a few minutes before the half-time whistle. The Reds came out all guns blazing in the second half and equalized again, this time through Sadio Mane. However, they could not find it in themselves to score the winner.
2021/22 Premier League points:
74 - Manchester City
73 - Liverpool
72
71
70
69
68
67
66
65
64
63
62 - Chelsea
61
60
59
58
57 - Spurs
56
55
54 - Arsenal
53
52
51 - West Ham, Man Utd
Pep and Klopp are clear.
Following the draw, Manchester City remain at the top with 74 points and Liverpool stay put in second position with 73. Unless Guardiola’s side slip-up, Klopp’s side will come up second best in the title race, irrespective of how many wins they bag. And with only seven games to play, we won’t be surprised if City go on an unstoppable winning run until the end of the season.