Carabao Cup confirm major rule change to ‘maintain fairness’ in semi-finals as fans want same rule in FA Cup
VAR will not be used in the Carabao Cup semi-finals, it has been confirmed.
The technology is not used at any stage of the competition before the semi-finals because it is only installed at Premier League stadiums.
Since VAR became a regular feature in 2019, it has been utilised by the final four teams across two legs.
However, it has been scrapped for the semi-finals this year to "maintain fairness".
Championship side Middlesbrough do not have VAR installed at the Riverside Stadium, so the EFL have deemed it unfair to use the technology at other games.
Boro face Chelsea at home on Tuesday, while Liverpool host Fulham at Anfield.
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Different rules are used in the FA Cup, meaning select games in every round have access to VAR.
Many fans believe this is unfair and that the rules should be the same in both competitions.
Reacting to the change in this year's Carabao Cup, one person tweeted: "There should never have been VAR for any Carabao or FA Cup games. That is what would maintain fairness.
"If you can’t implement it at all grounds or matches, don’t utilise it at all!"
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Another wrote: "Managers, players and fans will be happy with this decision, which is a sad but accurate indictment of VAR."
A third added: "Fairness would be having it in no rounds at all. Not randomly bringing it in at the semi final stage."
While a fourth questioned: "Why don’t they do this in the FA Cup then?"
The two semi-final winners will meet in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, February 25.