VAR missed a key moment in Southampton 1-0 Everton, it was truly bizarre - opinion

VAR took centre stage on Saturday as Southampton secured a 1-0 win over Everton.

A goal from Adam Armstrong in the 85th minute handed the Saints their first Premier League win of the 2024/25 campaign, but there was a late scare for Russell Martin after Beto thought he had equalised for Everton in the 89th minute.

VAR later adjudged the Guinea-Bissau international to be offside, and Southampton held on to stay 19th in the Premier League.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
19	SouthamptonSouthampton	10	1	1	8	7	19	-12	4

However, there was a controversial incident beforehand which VAR did not even check.

VAR should have dismissed James Tarkowski

In the 24th minute, Cameron Archer felt the full force of James Tarkowski.

The Everton No.6 erratically lunged in from behind on the Southampton No.19 right in front of Andy Madley – leaving the striker rolling around in agony on the pitch.

However, the Everton defender managed to escape with just a yellow card to his name, despite law 12 of the official FA rulebook stating that the following must result in a red card: “A tackle or challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force or brutality must be sanctioned as serious foul play.

“Any player who lunges at an opponent in challenging for the ball from the front, from the side or from behind using one or both legs, with excessive force or endangers the safety of an opponent is guilty of serious foul play.”

Tarkowski – who saw his passing praised by Martin Keown – genuinely could have broken Archer’s leg with his reckless lunge, although VAR did not even bother to review Madley’s decision to show only a yellow card, an outcome Martin must have been furious about.

Southampton deserved to beat Everton

Some may feel Beto’s goal was harshly disallowed, seeing as the Everton No.14 appeared to be level with the last defender before netting his 89th minute equaliser.

However, others will argue that it was simply a moment of justice being served by VAR – after those at Stockley Park failed to dismiss Tarkowski for an obvious red card offence.

Had Everton managed to escape St Mary’s with a result on Saturday, many would have pointed to Madley and VAR’s failure to send the England international off as a key moment, so eventually, all evened itself out on the south coast.