It's your Monday VAR thread, looking at:

- Raheem Sterling red / pen claim
- Ollie Watkins incident
- Mason Greenwood handball
- Brief Harry Kane offside

Batten down the hatches!

Running theme this week, and one I've talked about many times - the referee's decision carrying most weight.

We're talking about potentially borderline decisions which subjectively *could* be a red card or penalty, but won't change from the on-field decision.

As I've said before, point of contact alone doesn't make a red card (which is why Fabian Balbuena won his appeal). Force, intensity and the height are all key considerations.

Sterling isn't the a great tackler, and often mistimes. As these examples show. None are red cards.

That said, Sterling's challenge on Timo Werner was borderline. If Anthony Taylor had shown red it would have stood.

Sterling escapes because he doesn't go in full force with a straight leg, and connection is just above the boot.

This folds into the Sterling penalty, a very similar discussion point.

Unfortunately, Sky clipped out the part of this post-match discussion where Jamie Redknapp and Micah Richards agree it was probably a pen but not a clear and obvious error for VAR.

In terms of VAR protocol, once Anthony Taylor doesn't give the penalty here it's difficult for the VAR, Stuart Attwell, to get involved.

And, of course, the subjectivity of each VAR is different too. Attwell hasn't advised one VAR pen all season, but also had these to review.

Should it be a penalty to Man City? Yes.
Is it easy to see the contact in real time replay without really concentrating on Zouma's movement in slow motion? No.

Does that mean it's a clear and obvious error? It's a tough call for the VAR.

If the ref gives it, it's a pen.

As usual, many point to the David Luiz incident at Wolves.

And again I'll point out the important fact: The referee gave the penalty and sent off David Luiz. The on-field decision was king. It wasn't a VAR call.

And here, the on-field decision was no penalty. Key fact.

On the Ollie Watkins penalty, I don't think it's a penalty but neither is it a second yellow card for simulation.

Considering how rarely referees actually punish diving these days (including on overturned penalties), Watkins is very unlucky to get booked.

We've seen so many soft penalties, so much so that any contact now leads to a penalty claim. It's actually refreshing to see a referee not it for a brush of the foot.

FWIW, the only way the Watkins yellow could be rescinded is if the VAR recommended a penalty review.

On the Mason Greenwood handball claim, this would 100% have been given in September, and still would be in most other leagues.

The Prem relaxation of handball is clearly about proximity and natural position.

We saw a similar penalty not given against Newcastle recently.

The huge implementation error in September has definitely clouded judgement (for refs and fans) on handball, and I'm not sure the confusion will disappear next season.

But it seems the arm above the shoulder will only be penalised in clear instances of unnatural position.

Check out this VAR penalty from Real Madrid vs. Sevilla last night.

Penalty given to Real Madrid live, overturned and handball penalty given to Sevilla through VAR.

Would this have been a penalty in the Premier League? Probably not.

And let's remind ourselves of attacking handball, a scourge everywhere.

It's Cologne 1-2 Freiburg.

Cologne make it 2-2 in the 91st minute.

Goal disallowed for handball by a teammate leading to a goal.

Cologne then concede twice and lose 1-4.

(Goal counts next season).

Finally, the Harry Kane offside goal. First, the assistant disallowed it, there was no goal.

What do we expect the VAR, Paul Tierney, to actually do?

He can't unilaterally change the process of the whole season, look at this image and give a goal against the on-field decision.

Yes, we absolutely hate it. It has to change.

But if the Kane goal is given, ignoring the tech to change an assistant's decision, Leeds fans would quite rightly be furious after the dodgy Patrick Bamford offside at Palace, which could have stood without the tech.

Because the assistant flagged, the VAR has to use the tech to validate changing the decision (done to feet, as many want).

By the tech, Kane's boot was marginally in front of the last defender, so there's no other decision for the VAR other than to support the assistant.

I'd also point out it would disallowed in the Eredivisie (margin of error) and in MLS (no tech, naked eye) as in both leagues when the decision is very close it stays with the decision made by the assistant.

I'm confident the top leagues will be able to relax this next season.