VAR Officials Confirm Man City Penalty Retake Wasnt Because Lukasz Fabianski Moved Off His Line

​After the Premier League's opening fixture between Liverpool and Norwich passed by without any controversy, VAR took centre stage during Manchester City's thrashing of West Ham on Saturday. 

The technology is making its debut in the Premier League this season, and caused one punditry ruckus in Saturday's early kickoff when a Gabriel Jesus strike was ruled out for the tightest of offsides in the buildup. 

However, nothing if not a scene-stealer, there was a second technology-induced bout of bafflement late on in the match when Sergio Aguero's penalty – saved by Lukasz Fabianski – was ordered to be retaken. 

While commentators and most fans on social media (who, ahem, are always right) attributed the re-take to the Polish goalkeeper coming fractionally off his line in the manner that a number of stoppers at this summer's Women's World Cup were punished for, the truth was rather more mundane. 

West Ham midfielder Declan Rice had been caught red-handed, guilty of some good old fashioned encroachment into the penalty area. 

Indeed, as AP's Rob Harris reported shortly after the incident, the Premier League have taken the decision to leave issues of goalkeeper 'encroachment' to on-field officials this season – in contrast to the VAR-assisted clusterwhatsit in France over the summer. 

Man City penalty retake explained from VAR HQ:
For Declan Rice encroachment and clearing the ball after the save.
VAR wouldn't have been used to rule on Fabianski coming off his line before penalty was taken. PL leaving that to on-field officials

— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) August 10, 2019

While encroachment into the penalty area isn't punished if the penalty is scored or if the penalty is saved and held by the goalkeeper, if any rebound is cleared or turned home by an encroaching player then the video assistant referees are within their rights to intervene. 

Source : 90min