“Thought We’d Seen Everything—Clearly Not”: Harry Maguire Blasts VAR After Controversial Chelsea Defeat
In a Premier League season already plagued by officiating disputes, Manchester United’s Harry Maguire has reignited the firestorm around VAR.
After United’s 1-0 loss to Chelsea, Maguire didn’t hold back, slamming the decision to disallow his early goal—a call he believes was unjustly made due to a VAR mistake.
The incident occurred in the 16th minute, when Maguire seemed to score from inside the box. But VAR ruled him narrowly offside, citing the position of his knee and foot.
Outraged fans argued the offside lines were drawn on the wrong Chelsea defender, insisting Marc Cucurella was actually the last man, and that Maguire had been onside. Accusations of favoritism and faulty officiating quickly spread.
Speaking after the match, Maguire voiced his anger: “I thought we’d seen it all—but clearly not. This feels like another setup—another tactic by Chelsea and the board to hand us a loss.
Where’s the fairness in this league? We give everything on the pitch, and this is the thanks we get.”
This isn’t Maguire’s first run-in with VAR controversy. In an earlier clash with West Brom, he questioned a reversed penalty decision, saying, “We knew it was a penalty. Why send the ref to the screen? The contact was clear. It feels like decisions are constantly going against us.”
With United fans and pundits echoing these frustrations, scrutiny of VAR’s consistency and transparency has reached new heights.
Maguire’s emotional response also underscores the mental toll on players—feeling robbed not just of goals, but of fair competition.
The Premier League is now under pressure to restore trust in VAR and officiating standards. As Maguire once reflected, “You’ve got to look at yourself first.
We’re the ones on the pitch. We have to do better. But it’s hard when decisions like this keep happening.”
As the season continues, the league’s handling of these escalating concerns will be closely watched.
For Maguire and Manchester United, the hope remains that the outcome of matches will be decided by the players—not disputed calls from the sidelines.
His explosive remarks, particularly the claim of a “scheme fabricated by Chelsea and the board,” have not only intensified the VAR debate but could spark disciplinary consequences—raising serious questions about perceived bias and accountability in Premier League officiating.
