VAR awards Bournemouth equaliser against West Ham but fans fume as Aston Villa goal ruled out

VAR awarded Bournemouth's equaliser against West Ham - but left Twitter arguing over the decision as Aston Villa were denied.

Joshua King smashed home from a corner following a flick on from Nathan Ake to level up seven minutes after Andriy Yarmolenko's opener.

But the Cherries' celebrations were cut short when the assistant referee's flag went up.

After a lengthy consultation with VAR Andrew Madley, the goal was given because King was onside.

The problem for many, though, was that other players were offside when Ake got his touch.

Clearly Madley deemed them to be inactive and told referee Stuart Attwell to give the goal.

Up at Villa Park just minutes later, Aston Villa had a goal ruled out for a very similar incident with players in offside positions penalised.

And Twitter was not happy with the lack of consistency, especially because Bournemouth were late denied because a player was interfering when offside.

'VAR NOT WORKING'

One wrote: "VAR is not working. Villa goal disallowed for offside. Bournemouth goal allowed even though he offside."

A West Ham fumed about the Villa decision: "Lmao they call it here but not against Bournemouth! F*** off VAR."

Another raged: "Football is dead. There was 4 Bournemouth players offside when the ball was crossed in. Instead VAR gives the goal."

A fourth added: "Hard to tell without seeing the images, but from Jeff Stelling’s reaction, VAR has had a shocker at Bournemouth. And that’s by its own appalling standards. Talk to the RFL and the ICC about using it properly or get rid."

And a final simply asked: "Bournemouth were offside twice in the build up to that #VAR goal. Honestly what is the point?"

And it was a double-Hammer blow for West Ham later in the first half.

Goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski - crucial for boss Manuel Pellegrini with Adrian sold in the summer - was forced off injured.

He received treatment after pulling up following a goal kick and had to be replaced by Roberto Jiminez, who conceded four at Oxford on Wednesday.