'Nowhere near good enough' - Premier League chief makes honest VAR admission and reveals areas for improvement

VAR has faced plenty of criticism since its implementation because of lengthy checks and poor communication. Premier League chief Tony Scholes has acknowledged the system's flaws and how they are affecting the fans' enjoyment of the game.

He told the Premier League's website: "Clearly everything in the world of VAR is not perfect. We’re aware of that and we know we have got work to do. Where the VAR experience is poor is the in-stadium experience for the supporter. It’s nowhere near good enough. We know it’s not. It affects supporters’ enjoyment of the game, and we know it needs to change. We are constrained in what we can do by IFAB, [which] is very clear at the moment we cannot use the audio."

He added: "We're doing too many [VAR] checks and we're taking too long in doing them. To a degree it's understandable given the level of scrutiny these guys are under, from ourselves, also from [the media] as well as from supporters. But the reviews are taking too long and it's affecting the flow of the game. We're extremely aware of that and the need to improve their speed, whilst always maintaining the accuracy."

Despite the flaws and many controversial incidents this season, Scholes argued that VAR has helped officials make more accurate calls, saying that referees are making the correct decision 96 per cent of the time. The likes of Arsenal and Liverpool have been vocal critics of VAR at times this term, with the Gunners speaking out against the decision to let Anthony Gordon's winning goal for Newcastle stand, while the Reds had a goal incorrectly ruled out against Tottenham.

The Premier League will lobby the International Football Association Board (IFAB) about making changes to the way VAR works and on improving communication to fans after decisions are made.