With VAR in its third weekend in the Premier League, Manchester City and Tottenham now know just how high the threshold is for penalty calls to be overturned by video reviews.
City was denied a penalty even when Bournemouth midfielder Jefferson Lerma stood on David Silva's foot. The champions were leading at the time and Sergio Aguero went on to score his second in a 3-1 win.
But Tottenham had no such good fortune against Newcastle later on Sunday. Trailing to Joelinton's goal, Tottenham thought it had a late chance to grab an equalizer when Harry Kane tumbled after being impeded in the penalty area by Jamaal Lascelles.
But referee Mike Dean had already let play continue without awarding a spot kick. And when the VAR review finally took place, the original decision was not overruled — indicating a lack of clear evidence the original decision was wrong — and Newcastle won 1-0.
Tottenham lost its first match of the season a week after VAR did help the London club gain a point at the Etihad Stadium when a City handball was spotted in the run-up to what looked like being Gabriel Jesus' winner.
City manager Pep Guardiola is exasperated by how VAR is being applied.
"It was clear hands last game, clear hands. A penalty today? No, please," Guardiola said sarcastically. "The challenge this season will be amazing for us after winning back-to-back two titles, the challenge will be great."
There was one penalty awarded on Sunday, enabling Wolverhampton to grab a stoppage time equalizer against Burnley.
Unlike in the City and Tottenham games, referee Craig Pawson had already pointed to the spot when Raúl Jiménez was fouled by Erik Pieters. Jiménez netted from the spot to cancel out Ashley Barnes' strike and seal a 1-1 draw for Wolves.
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Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus scored more goals in 53 minutes on Saturday than he had in the previous eight months in the English Premier League.
Becoming the first player in the league to score four goals in one game this season, Jesus led City to a 5-1 thrashing of Watford to open a four-point lead over second-placed Liverpool in the title race.
Liverpool can trim that back to one point with five matches left by beating Everton in the Merseyside derby on Sunday.
Manchester City's Gabriel Jesus celebrates after scoring his fourth goal, his side's fifth, during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Watford at Etihad stadium in Manchester, England, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (AP PhotoJon Super)
Jesus scored three goals in the league before the arrival of next-to-last Watford for a match that ended up resembling a training exercise.
The Brazil international netted twice in the first half and twice more in the opening eight minutes of the second half — one of which was a penalty to complete his hat trick.
Rodri scored the other goal for City, which used the match to give key players a rest ahead of Real Madrid's visit in the Champions League semifinals on Tuesday.
Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes reacts after failing to score from a penalty kick during an English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Manchester United at the Emirates stadium in London, Saturday April 23, 2022. (AP PhotoAlastair J. Grant)
While City stayed on course for the title, fierce rival Manchester United likely dropped out of the race for Champions League qualification.
By losing at Arsenal 3-1, United fell six points behind its top-four rival and manager Ralf Rangnick all but called time on his team's season.
“I don’t think it’s very realistic to dream and think of the top four," Rangnick said at the end of a week when United also lost at Liverpool 4-0 and hired a new manager, Ajax's Erik ten Hag, for the start of next season.
Arsenal moved into fourth, three points above north London rival Tottenham, which visited Brentford late.
In other games, last-placed Norwich plunged closer to relegation with a 3-0 loss at home to Newcastle, while mid-table teams Leicester and Aston Villa drew 0-0.
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