Sterling was adjudged to be offside by VAR and Jesus’s goal was chalked off against West Ham

Premier League clubs have told referees chiefs to fix the farce of “armpit offsides” under VAR — and want to give attackers 10cm leeway in marginal decisions.

Mike Riley, the managing director of the Professional Games Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL), told club chairmen at a meeting on Thursday that 10cm latitude would have meant nine of the 25 goals that have been ruled out by VAR for offside this season would have stood. There has been widespread unhappiness at goals being chalked off for a player being offside by a toe or an armpit, and clubs spoke in favour of extra tolerance being built into the system for VAR offside decisions for next season.

Changes to the VAR system would appear to be relatively straightforward