Is VAR in place for the FA Cup fourth round?

The 2023/24 FA Cup enters the fourth round this weekend and fans up and down the country will be glued to the action in stadiums and through television screens with drama and controversy bound to take the headlines.

Cup competition rules can have the average supporter questioning whether certain ties have extra-time, penalties or replays and the introduction of video assistant referees has added another layer to that confusion.

With not all stadiums enjoying the capabilities to host VAR technology, some games in England's famous cup competition will enjoy - loosely speaking - its benefits, but other fixtures will call for firm decisions from the on-field referee.

So, is VAR in place for the fourth round of the FA Cup?

Will FA Cup fourth round matches have VAR?

As was the case in the previous round, VAR is in use at stadiums that have the licensing to for it. This means matches taking place at Premier League grounds will have VAR but everywhere else won't. Stadiums like West Brom's Hawthorns have the facilities for VAR but it won't be present as they are not in the Premier League.

This caused some problems when it came to third-round replays. A Premier League team facing a Championship or lower side would have VAR in one match and then be without it for the replay. With replays still in operation for fourth-round matches, the same issue is going to arise.

The FA has been criticised for the patchy use of VAR since 2018. Their response last season read: "Video assistant referees provide match officials with additional support and should be utilised wherever possible. However, only Premier League stadiums are currently licensed to use VAR due to the infrastructure, workforce and costs that are required."

FA Cup fourth-round ties with VAR

• AFC Bournemouth v Swansea City
• Chelsea v Aston Villa
• Liverpool v Norwich City
• Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City
• Everton v Luton Town
• Sheffield United v Brighton & Hove Albion
• Fulham v Newcastle United

FA Cup fourth-round ties without VAR

• Watford v Southampton
• Blackburn Rovers v Wrexham
• West Bromwich Albion v Wolverhampton Wanderers
• Bristol City v Nottingham Forest
• Leicester City v Birmingham City
• Sheffield Wednesday v Coventry City
• Ipswich Town v Maidstone United
• Leeds United v Plymouth Argyle
• Newport County v Manchester United

FA Cup third round's most contentious decision

Throughout the tournament, there will be plenty of decisions that baffle some fans. In the third round, it was Everton who were left the angriest with VAR.

Striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin was sent off for a studs-up challenge, having made no contact with Nathaniel Clyne as he collected the ball. A VAR review led to a straight red card but Calvert-Lewin later had the three-match ban overturned on review.

A statement from the FA read: "Dominic Calvert-Lewin will be available for Everton's next three games following a successful claim of wrongful dismissal."

Toffees manager Sean Dyche was critical after the game, saying: "I look at the obvious offsides, which I think is fair, that should be there. Some of the others I'm going, 'well, that's got a chance now of being let play and what's got a chance of being called', but we don't actually know."

Dyche also questioned the purpose of referees being called to the monitor, adding: "Every fan must think, 'what is the point?' We all know the outcome - they're going to agree with everything they've been told.

"I don't know what the stats are but the chances of something getting turned down are miniscule. Why even bother? I'm a fan of VAR but I just don't get looking at the screen. It seems a bit confused at the moment. It needs tidying up. I thought it was getting tidied up but it seems to have taken a step back. It's beginning to test my patience."

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