Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl admits his team were “lucky” during their 1-0 win at Sheffield United.
Once again VAR played a part in the Premier League, ruling out a 52nd minute goal from Oli McBurnie. In the replay it did show that John Egan was offside in the buildup.
So Blades boss Chris Wilder might have hoped the tool returned the favour later on when James Ward-Prowse appeared to handle the ball in the area.
However, although it was reviewed by the video referee the incident was cleared and no penalty was awarded.
“I thought for the offside it’s a fantastic tool because a linesman cannot see this scene so it’s fantastic we have this tool. It makes the game more fair,” Hasenhuttl told the Daily Echo.
“When a handball is not a clear wrong decision then it is clear it stays like it was.
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“Maybe we were today the team that was lucky with VAR. We will also have moments where we are not lucky so it should make the game more fair and I think it did it today and I am very happy the way the VAR works and how we have this tool.”
Is Hasenhuttl right and were Southampton lucky?
In the end a moment of class from Moussa Djenepo decided the result at Bramall Lane. Wilder later said Egan was at fault for not stopping his run, but it was a great individual effort and finish.
At the other end United had plenty of chances, ending the match with 17 shots. Both David McGoldrick and John Fleck should arguably have done better with good opportunities.
The fact they did create so much lead Wilder to call it a “positive performance.” So maybe the Saints did have their fair share of luck.
Yet the Blades are going to have to sharpen up if they want to improve on an opening showing of one win in five games.