Sheffield United: 'Make it more human' - Phil Jagielka calls for VAR to be tweaked after nervous wait for equaliser in 3-3 draw with Manchester United

The Blades fought back from 3-2 down, after earlier being 2-0 ahead, to seal a deserved point when Oli McBurnie converted fellow substitute Callum Robinson’s cross in the dying moments of a thrilling contest at Bramall Lane.

But several fans, and Blades defender Jack O’Connell, expected the goal to be ruled out after believing the ball had hit McBurnie’s hand as he brought it down. A rule change in the summer means that any attacker who handles the ball in the penalty area and gains an advantage, deliberate or not, will be penalised.

But after an agonising wait, the VAR official at Stockley Park could not find evidence to overturn the goal, much to the delight of a sold-out home crowd.

The drama came just over a fortnight after David McGoldrick’s ‘equaliser’ at Tottenham Hotspur was ruled out by VAR, after a wait of around four minutes, because John Lundstram’s big toe was in an offside position at Spurs’ new stadium.

And Jagielka, a veteran of 13 years experience in the Premier League, believes the system is here to stay - but needs ‘tweaking’.

“I didn’t know what had gone on when we equalised,” the defender said.

“We don't get a video replay out there! But I thought to myself ‘if it's handball then it’s either yes or no, surely? Why take so long to decide?’

“This time, VAR was good for us. At Spurs, it was supposedly half a millimetre in it.

“For me, it needs tweaking a bit. If the VAR can't determine in 30 seconds or so whether a player is onside or offside, or if there's been another infringement, stay with the decision of the linesman or the referee.

“We've had some fantastic officials over the last 15/20 years and, for some reason, we don’t seem to trust them as much any more.

“VAR, for me, does slow the game down and kill it at times.”

Despite some criticism from supporters, however, VAR is expected to remain in place. All other major leagues in Europe use the system, although referees chief Mike Riley is set to meet with former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger to discuss VAR standards.

“It would have been horrific if the goal was taken away from us,” Jagielka added.

“Look at Manchester City earlier in the season, when they thought they'd beaten Spurs.

“We're going to stick with it and it is what it is, but it does need fine-tuning.

“To make it a little more human, if you like. Rather than looking at microscopic offsides.”