![](\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/67\/590x\/secondary\/Gareth-Southgate-4996518.jpg?r=1696526549966\")
<\/p>\nGareth Southgate believes football would be better off without VAR. The England manager weighed into the debate raging about technology in football during a press conference to explain his squad selection for the forthcoming internationals against Australia and Italy.<\/p>\n
And he revealed he had NEVER been a fan – even before VAR denied his England team a place in the UEFA Nations League final in 2019. Jesse Lingard thought he had scored the winner in the semi-final against the Netherlands only for the technology to chalk it off for offside. England went on to lose in extra-time.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don’t like it,\u201d he said. \u201cWe should just accept referees\u2019 decisions, but I also know that we’re unlikely to go back to a world where we don’t have technology as part of that decision-making process. It was never going to resolve every issue and I don’t think there is any solution that will achieve that.<\/p>\n
“Even at the forefront, I wasn’t for it. My first experience of it we’re still not sure if the Jesse Lingard disallowed goal that knocked us out of a semi-final was legit or not.”<\/p>\n
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His decision to pick Bukayo Saka could prove nearly as controversial with Arsenal facing a battle against time if they are to have hope of getting him ready for Sunday\u2019s clash with Manchester City. He limped off in Lens after injuring his hamstring while performing a back-heel, but Southgate sees no reason not to include him in a squad which meets in 11 days\u2019 time.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe’s still being assessed,\u201d he said. \u201cObviously, they’ve got a big game this weekend and then there’s another seven days before we play Australia and 10 days before we play Italy as well. So, everybody will monitor everything as we go forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
Don’t miss… <\/strong> We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info<\/p>\n It means there is still no room for Raheem Sterling, who did not even get a call this time around to let him know he was not included.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, we spoke before the last squad,\u201d Southgate said. “As I said, we’ve been happy with the wide players and the performances in the last four games, in particular, and the two in March. The team are playing really well.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, clearly there’s some stability there. We have added Jarrod Bowen in those wide areas – I mean, he scored five in seven games, he’s playing really well. With the Australia game as well, there’s an opportunity to learn some different things as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
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