VAR came under intense scrutiny as Leeds United and Bournemouth both saw penalty appeals rejected in controversial decisions that left managers and players fuming. Leeds manager Daniel Farke was left bewildered after his side's 1-0 defeat to Sunderland, where Luke O'Nien appeared to grab Pascal Struijk by the neck in the penalty area. The incident was reviewed by VAR but deemed not to be a clear and obvious error.

Farke, typically reluctant to criticise officials, expressed his disbelief at the decision. "What was VAR doing? It can't be a clearer penalty," he told TNT Sports. The Leeds boss suggested that experienced referee Stuart Attwell would have awarded the spot-kick had he been able to review the footage himself. Former players covering the match, including Michael Dawson and Jermaine Beckford, were equally critical, with Beckford calling the non-decision "absolutely embarrassing."

Meanwhile, Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola was left frustrated after his side's 0-0 draw with Brentford, where Marcus Tavernier was brought down in the box by Michael Kayode. VAR official Darren England reviewed the incident but no penalty was awarded. "Tavs was going to score and was clearly fouled, but somehow neither the referee nor VAR give the penalty," Iraola said. Tavernier himself felt contact on his arm and Achilles, suggesting he would have had a routine finish had the foul not occurred. These controversial calls have reignited debates about VAR's effectiveness in the Premier League.