Premier League set to introduce VAR next season

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Video assistant referees, VAR are set to be used in the Premier League next season, after clubs agreed in principle to the move.

The Premier League will now make a formal request to the International Football Association Board and Fifa.

VAR was used at the 2018 World Cup, is in operation in Italy and Germany’s top divisions, and has been utilised in some FA Cup and Carabao Cup games.

The Premier League has been carrying out “non-live” trials this season.

VAR will also be used in the Champions League from next season.

There have been growing calls for it to be introduced into the English top flight for several years.

But in April Premier League clubs voted against it being used for the 2018-19 season.

On Saturday, Southampton forward Charlie Austin called for a change after he was denied a goal for offside against Watford, a decision he called a “joke”.

Clubs were given an update at a meeting on Thursday.

A statement from the Premier League said its testing programme would continue for the rest of the season “with a continued emphasis on those Saturday afternoons which have several matches being played concurrently”.

How VAR decisions are communicated to fans in the stadium will also be addressed.