Manchester City's Carabao Cup win at Newcastle was marred by a VAR fiasco. A goal from new signing Antoine Semenyo was disallowed for Erling Haaland's offside interference, but the decision took over five minutes. The delay occurred because officials couldn't use semi-automated offside technology due to a crowded penalty box, forcing a manual review.

This incident highlights the Premier League's ongoing struggle with VAR consistency. While SAOT speeds up most offside calls, its failure in 'edge cases' leaves fans and managers frustrated. Pep Guardiola openly criticized the officiating, demanding explanations for what he sees as inconsistent decisions, including a denied penalty for Phil Foden in the same match.

The Premier League's KMI Panel actually agreed a penalty should have been awarded for the Foden foul, adding weight to Guardiola's complaints. Chief refereeing officer Howard Webb now faces pressure to clarify protocol for these complex situations. Fans are left questioning if the technology, meant to aid officials, is actually slowing the game down when it matters most.