Everton boss Marco Silva says 'VAR will get managers sacked'

"I'm not happy with the position we are in, but I know things would be completely different if football was fair with us," says Everton manager

Saturday 9 November 2019 08:56, UK

Marco Silva believes controversial VAR decisions in the Premier League will cost managers their jobs this season.

Everton were hit with a late penalty during their 3-2 defeat against Brighton at the Amex Stadium in October, which was awarded after Michael Keane was adjudged to have fouled Aaron Connolly in the box during the second half, with the score at 2-1 to the away side.

Again the Toffees were on the receiving end of a controversial call when Dele Alli was deemed not to have handled the ball following a corner in Everton's 1-1 draw with Tottenham, despite officials watching four minutes of replay footage.

Speaking in agreement with Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, who criticised VAR for ruling out a Roberto Firmino strike for offside in his side's win over Aston Villa, Silva said: "I'm not talking about myself here, he was talking in general terms and he was completely right.

"It is also my opinion and the opinion of all the managers in the world, not just here in the Premier League.

"It was so clear in the last three or four games and we are talking about it costing us five or six points.

"Where would we be with those points? I don't have any doubts that we would be performing on a different level if we had those points.

"Every team in the world plays with more confidence when it is higher up the table. Now we are not in the position we want, I am not happy with the position we are in, but I know things would be completely different if football was fair with us.

"Now we go into another must-win game [at Southampton], and every game is a must-win game for us when we would have had more freedom and confidence had we been higher in the table."

110 games in the top-flight this season have seen pitchside monitors unused, going against the broader recommendations of FIFA.

Mike Riley, head of Premier League referees, met with top-flight managers in the north of England this week to hear their opinions on the technology.

Any possible VAR policy changes are set to be discussed at the next Premier League shareholders' meeting on November 14.

Meanwhile, Everton's Fabian Delph (hamstring) and Andre Gomes (ankle) will be unavailable for Silva's side's clash at Southampton on Saturday, with Morgan Schneiderlin now available.