Premier League VAR review: Did Liverpool deserve to be bailed out by penalty?

The video assistant referee causes controversy every week, whether it be the Premier League, Champions League or FA Cup, but how are those decisions made and are they correct? For the 2026-27 season, we are taking a look at the major incidents to examine and explain the process in terms of both VAR protocol and the laws of the game. Andy Davies (@andydaviesref) is a former Select Group referee, with over 12 seasons on the elite list, working across the Premier League and Championship. With extensive experience at the elite level, he has operated within the VAR space in the Premier League and offers a unique insight into the processes, rationale and protocols that are delivered on a World Cup matchday. Newcastle United 2-2 Liverpool Referee: Stuart Attwell VAR: James Bell Time: 90 + 6 mins Incident: Penalty awarded to Liverpool for a challenge by Lewis Hall on Victor Muñoz What happened: Liverpool's Muñoz charged into the Newcastle penalty area late into the game, and Hall made a clumsy challenge bringing the Liverpool player to the ground. Referee Stuart Attwell pointed to the spot for a late penalty for the Reds. LIVERPOOL ARE GIVEN A PENALTY 😳 — USA Sports (@usasports) August 23, 2026 ⚪️ Newcastle: 2 🔴 Liverpool: 1 ⏱️ 90+6' pic.twitter.com/Zrk9oJMxZ7 VAR decision and communications: The referee's call of penalty for the challenge by Hall on Muñoz was checked and confirmed by VAR. The referee: "He doesn't play the ball. He makes clear contact." VAR: "It's knee into thigh contact. Confirming the on-field decision of penalty." Verdict: This was a correct decision made by referee Atwell and his assistant, and a decision I felt was clear in real-time. In this type of situation, with an attacker moving into the penalty area at speed with the ball under control, any challenge by a defender must successfully play the ball or they run a very high risk of committing a foul. Hall was naïve to make his clumsy challenge in the manner he did, and Muñoz was too clever for the Newcastle defender. This was a clear foul by Hall, and a penalty kick a correct outcome. While it may feel to Newcastle fans that Liverpool were bailed out and gifted a draw after middling performance, Hall's foul was needless and to blame for Liverpool equalizing.