VAR is a 'dangerous road' and Premier League could lose TV viewers, says Steve Parish

The Premier League could lose TV viewers if it introduces the video assistant referee (VAR) system, says Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish.

VAR is being used in selected domestic cup matches, but Premier League clubs meet in April and could make a decision about its use in the top flight.

Parish says VAR, used in Sunday's Carabao Cup final, could lead to stoppages and games lasting two hours.

"I think we are going down an extremely dangerous road," said Parish.

Speaking at a Sports Industry Breakfast Club, he added: "I'm very worried about VAR.

"I think you will lose the fringe viewers because those people who don't watch every week will tune in and find the rules have changed - they won't know what's going on.

"We are always talking about viewers having shorter attention spans. So why have all these stoppages and make a 90-minute game last 120 minutes?"

Earlier this week, Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin said the system brings "a lot of confusion" and "nobody knows how it works".

The International Football Association Board (IFAB), which rules on the game's laws, meets on Saturday to decide whether to approve the technology permanently following its trial period.

If it does, then Fifa is committed to using the system at the World Cup but Uefa has said it won't be deployed in next season's Champions League.

But IFAB says the system should only be used to correct clear "match-changing" errors - goals, penalties, straight red cards and rectifying mistaken identity.

"My real problem with VAR is that at the moment they say there are (four) decisions where they use it," added Parish.

"But you know that they'll then say, 'right we are getting those right but we are not getting the other decisions right,' so they'll want to have VAR for those too.

"They'll end up using it to see if a keeper has taken six steps. I don't see a point in having it for some things when you are still going to get injustices.

"I would leave it as it is and maybe have an extra referee to try and get more things right, keep the flow of the game.

"Controversy sometimes costs you dearly but it's actually part of the game."