ANYONE who has experienced the joys of on-line computer combat will tell you that technology is a fa (From Warrington Guardian)

ANYONE who has experienced the joys of on-line computer combat will tell you that technology is a fa

ANYONE who has experienced the joys of on-line computer combat will tell you that technology is a fantastic thing but the suits that run world football still refuse to utilise the wonders of modern man.

With Dave Lawrenson

Why football is yet to follow Rugby League's and cricket's lead by incorporating video referees is beyond me.

Nothing spoils a game of football more than a team being robbed by an incorrect and important decision, unless you support the side that benefits of course!

Millions of pounds rest on such mistakes and the solution has been staring us in the face for years.

I'm not saying that video evidence should be consulted for every decision that the officials have to make.

But when it comes to gamebreaking moments such as penalty shouts or 'did the ball cross the line?' controversies then making the right call is a must.

Going to the eye in the sky is a simple and reasonably quick process and the sooner it is installed the better.

Just look at this season's Premiership games between Manchester United and Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea plus Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.

Refereeing blunders in those games have given Manchester United and Chelsea an unfair advantage in the race for the Premiership title.

Wayne Rooney won a penalty to set United on the way to victory against Arsenal when he should have been booked for diving.

United were lucky again when goalkeeper Roy Carroll gifted Tottenham a late winner in everyone's eyes apart from the referee and the linesmen and Chelsea were equally fortunate to escape penalty punishment on two occasions in their smash and grab win at Anfield.

Arsenal's bid to retain their title has been unfairly dented in all three matches and I can only hope that the gaffs prove insignificant in the end of season reckoning.

That seems unlikely with the title race looking to be a closer affair than it's been for many years.

The three main protagonists are all sensational sides and lady luck could well prove to be the deciding factor.

Some people claim that luck balances itself out over the course of the season but why take the chance when the technology to minimise the impact of human

error is readily available?

Using video referees would make league tables more accurate and cut out a lot of the post-match whinging which tarnishes the sport.

And my experiences of watching Rugby League tell me that using camera recalls adds to the excitement of 'going to the match'.

Penalty shootouts may be the masters of tension but waiting to find out whether or not your side has scored comes a close second.

For the record, I fancy Arsenal to take the title. They may be a few points adrift at the moment but they were unstoppable at the back end of last season and with Thierry Henry, Patrick Vierra and Sol Campbell forming the best backbone in the game I can see history repeating itself.

I can also see Chelsea finishing second, United finishing third and Liverpool pipping Everton and Middlesborough to the last Champions League spot.