Leeds United have had their fair share of poor refereeing decisions this season as the Whites continue to feel frustrated by some of the officiating.
The Whites sit 15th in the Premier League table, four points clear of the relegation zone. They have another seven games to ensure they remain a Premier League team next season.
However, there is a real feeling among the Leeds supporters that better officiating would have earned the team more points, and probably they could have secured their safety by now.
Leeds’ frustrations with VAR have been palpable, and now a latest reveal suggests the Whites supporters are not the only ones who are angry at the new refereeing system.
Frustration with VAR goes beyond Leeds United
The Athletic has published findings from a recent survey by the Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), results that should raise serious concerns for those governing the global game.
It has emerged that three out of four fans of Premier League teams want VAR to be scrapped as it has taken the spontaneity out of the game.
In 2021, 74 per cent of FSA members opposed VAR; that figure has since risen to 76 per cent, though it’s worth noting that the survey covered only Premier League fans.
When asked whether VAR has improved football, just 3.4 per cent of matchgoing fans said yes. Meanwhile, 92 per cent felt it had “taken away the spontaneous joy of goal celebrations”, and 81 per cent said they would rather watch games without it.
In 2024, Wolves proposed ditching VAR in the Premier League, but the other clubs voted 19-1 against the idea.
A statement from a Premier League spokesperson read: “As part of ongoing dialogue with supporters, Premier League research indicates fans are largely in favour of keeping VAR, but improving the way it is used.
“This remains a priority for both the Premier League and PGMO, and the League will continue to engage with all stakeholders to build on the progress made through the VAR Improvement Plan.”
The Whites will feel vindicated
Daniel Farke’s Leeds United have every right to feel aggrieved, with a string of questionable refereeing calls influencing the outcome of their third straight league match.
From Leeds’ perspective, better officiating might well have prevented home defeats against Manchester City and Sunderland earlier this month.
The red card shown to Gabriel Gudmundsson against Crystal Palace effectively derailed their push for all three points after the break, and in the end, they were grateful just to salvage a draw.
With the relegation fight heating up, Farke will be hoping fortunes finally swing Leeds’ way in the run-in.
However, the latest fan survey shows that Leeds’ frustrations with VAR and the refereeing have some common ground with other supporters as well.
