Can't Live With It, Can't live Without It: Why The Cups Should Have VAR

Can't Live With It, Can't live Without It: Why The FA and League Cups Should Have VAR

Since its initial introduction in the Premier League, the endless debate surrounding Video Assistant technology has cast a shadow over English football.

Some love it some loath it, there is no denying that it allows for any mistakes made on the pitch by match officials to be rectified.

However, in both the FA and EFL League Cup, both competitions don't have the technology until the latter stages. And following several controversial calls from officials during the weekend's FA Cup matches, debate has been raised over the competitions having the technology installed from the third round.

Omar Marmoush Disallowed Goal

Manchester City faced little to no trouble in their home fourth round tie vs Salford City. An early own goal and an 81st minute strike from Marc Guehi, his first for his new club, secured a place in the fifth round for Pep Guardiola's team.

Linesman just robbed Omar Marmoush of this goal when it wasn’t even offside…pic.twitter.com/1SsnPCw6e1

— 17 (@DxBruyneSZN) February 14, 2026

However, they should have had a two goal lead much earlier in the contest.

Midway through the first half, a long ball played over the top of the Salford backline was chased down by City forward Omar Marmoush. The Egyptian sprinted past the defence and met the ball, striking home with an impressive first time half-volleyed effort.

Despite having appeared to successfully time his run to keep himself onside, the linsman on the near side flagged for an offside offence by Marmoush, disallowing the goal.

The job of a linesperson is one of the hardest in al of football, as they are often reled oupton make heavily important deciions in a split second. Decisions which can change the direction of matches, seasons, and effect the mood of thousands.

🚨 HUGE OFFSIDE MISTAKE! 🚨

Man City's Omar Marmoush scored a fantastic strike to put his side 2-0 up vs Salford City...but he was flagged offside by the linesman 🤔

It's CLEAR to see Marmoush was well onside when the ball was played over the top in the build-up! 😯 pic.twitter.com/eYrx2aRgfO

— Football Insider (@footyinsider247) February 14, 2026

This particular scenario was one of those split second decisions, and without the help of VAR technology, the linesperson's decision was final. However, replays showed that Marmoush had been played onside by the Salford left-back.

It wouldn't of made much of a change to the game's final outcome, but it denied Marmoush and City a great goal.

Tammy Abraham's Opening Goal vs Newcastle

Whilst the Etihad saw a goal wrongly disallowed for offside, the match at Villa Park between Aston Villa and Newcastle United saw the opposite, as Villa forward Tammy Abraham opened the scoring for his side in an all-Premier League fourth round tie, but it shouldn't have been.

The home side were awarded a free-kick 30 yards from the Newcastle goal, and the Villa striker ghosted past the Newcastle defensive line to go one-on-one with Aaron Ramsdale.

Tammy Abraham goalll#avfc #UTVpic.twitter.com/n9VeOdcJN8

— Talk Villa (@thetalkvilla) February 14, 2026

A perfect chest control was followed by a swiveled finish which found the net to give Unai Emery's Villa the lead in the first half. Although, despite the goal being allowed to stand by the match officials, replays and still images showed that when the free-kick was played over the top of the defence by Douglas Luiz, Abraham had slightly mis-timed his run, and was ahead of the last Newcastle defender.

The goal stood despite the protests from the Newcastle players and staff, giving Villa the advantage in the tie.

These bangers of Tonali needs to be studied man😭✈️ pic.twitter.com/JPE7utcMUN

— bdac leroy (@bdac_leroy) February 14, 2026

However, a red-card for Villa goalkeeper Marco Bizot in the dying moments of the first half offered Eddie Howe's team an opportunity to turn the match around, and it proved to be an opportunity they took. WIth a second half brace from Sandro Tonali and a late strike from Nick Woltemade gave Newcastle a place in the fifth round.

Luca Digne Tackle + Handball

The Aston Villa vs Newcastle United match was where the real debates were around, as Tammy Abrham's controversial opening goal was not the only decision which appeared to be a mistake by the VAR-less officials.

Two more decisions were called up for debate, and both surrounding Villa left-back Luca Digne.

The first incident involving the Frenchman involved a heavy challenge, in which the Villa stand-in captain appeared to slide in hard on Newcastle winger Jacob Murphy. Kieran Trippier had played a pass out wide towards Murphy, but just as the winger was about to recieve the ball, Digne flew in and in his attempt to snatch back the ball caught the Newcastle player on the anckle with his planted studs.

🗣️ "He's high, he's late and it's a very, very dangerous tackle." @alanshearer says Lucas Digne was "lucky" to not be sent off 😲 pic.twitter.com/WWJs5dyoXR

— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) February 14, 2026

Similar tackles have seen red cards given with the help of VAR, but the Villa defender was only issued a yellow. With Digne potientially getting lucky due to the lack of the technology.

However, that was not the last controversial decision given involving Digne, as later in the second half a Free-kick was awarded to Newcastle with the French defender adjudged to have committed a handball offence when blocking a cross.

The handball rule is more complicated than ever, but the real controversy wasn't around whether or not it was a correct handball decision, but the fact that Newcastle were awarded a free-kick as opposed to a penatly.

Referee Chris Kavanagh decided the offence was committed just outside Emiliano Martinez's penalty area, however, camrea replays showed that there was no debate to be had, Digne was postioned firmly inside the box when the handball took place.

Newcastle were no doubt wrongly denied a penalty and were on the wrong side of a incorrect offside call. But Tonali's brace meant they would progress regardless.

Should VAR Be Introduced Earlier In The Cups

The mistakes seen in the FA Cup fixtures are a strong advert for the pro-VAR arguement, both in the Premier League and England's domestic cups.

However, it isn't so simple than just a simple decision. Clubs in the lower EFL leagues and lower into non-league compete in the FA and EFL Cups, with these grounds being unable to support installiation of the technology.

Despite that, those in favour of VAR can have a strong case for stating that as much should be done in order to make sure the technology can be used as early as possible in the cup competitions, allowing for less officals mistakes as possible.