FURIOUS Manchester City made a formal complaint to refs chief Mike Riley over the performance of Michael Oliver in their crucial defeat to Liverpool.
The letter was delivered to PGMOL chief Riley on Monday, 24 hours after the crunch Anfield clash.
City remain dismayed by Olivers decision not to award them penalties for a number of incidents in the game, pointing to two potential handballs by Trent Alexander-Arnold and a push from Sadio Mane that downed Raheem Sterling.
The letter was sent as Pep Guardiola joined Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp in voicing his frustrations at VAR inconsistencies during the Uefa elite coaches forum in Nyon.
Riley is understood to have attempted to respond constructively to the City letter but despite the complaints he is unlikely to change his VAR policies on Thursday – unless there is a Prem revolt.
Riley will give an update on the use of VAR to the 20 clubs at their scheduled shareholder meeting in London.
The VAR issue will overshadow every other topic after another weekend of controversy.
But despite increasing controversy regarding the technology over the first 12 weeks of Prem action, it appears radical shifts are unlikely.
Instead, Riley is set to explain how VAR has improved decision-making this season compared to last term, when one in every five key match incident was wrongly called.
The figure is closer to one in 10 this term, with 29 on-field calls changed on VAR advice.
And while Riley will acknowledge there have been teething problems he is not expected to signal any substantive changes.
That will only alter if there is a strong consensus from the clubs that significant issues need to be addressed and Riley is put under pressure to switch his policies.
Suggestions of a possible push to scrap VAR for the rest of the season have been downplayed by Prem insiders, even if it is accepted that there is growing disquiet.
Yet even the idea of Riley urging his officials to use the pitchside monitors as a matter of course is not believed likely to be pushed by the clubs, who do feel that better communication to fans inside stadiums would be beneficial.
The expected long debate over VAR, likely to take up the majority of the meeting, means that a decision on whether the summer transfer window should revert to last until the start of September will be delayed until next year.
Scheduled agenda items include concussion protocols on the back of the recent FA study into dementia while the proposed fixture calendar for the 2022-23 season which will be disrupted by the Qatar winter World Cup will also be on the table for the first time.
