5 months ago
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HOWARD WEBB has confirmed VAR got TWO decisions wrong in Newcastle’s 1-0 win over Arsenal.
PGMOL chief Webb revealed on the programme “Match Officials Mic’d Up” that both Kai Havertz and Bruno Guimaraes should have been sent off.
Mikel Arteta was raging with the officials following Arsenal’s defeat to NewcastleRex
GettyHowever, he insisted the process was followed correctly for Anthony Gordon’s controversial winner – which Gunners boss Mikel Arteta described as an “absolute disgrace”.
Havertz’s lunge on Sean Longstaff in the 37th minute was deemed to be a yellow card.
Meanwhile, Guimaraes’ forearm struck the head of Jorginho in an off the ball collision, but he did not receive any punishment.
Speaking about the two incidents, Webb said: “Quite a busy game wasn’t it? A couple of situations, that in the cold-light-of-day analysis that we go through, going forward, we would expect red cards in both of those situations.”
Prior to analysing those decisions, Webb also analysed the use of VAR in Gordon’s goal.
The officials looked at three separate incidents in the match-winning moment.
They were whether or not the ball had gone out, a potential foul on Gabriel, and Gordon being offside.
Explaining the process, Webb said: “This was a big moment – an unusual situation with three aspects for the VAR to check whether or not the on-field decision of goal should be overturned.
“We see the ball getting very close to the goal-line – don’t forget we have an assistant referee who is right in line – the ball hasn’t got a lot of pace as it goes to the goal-line, so he’s looking right down the line better than any of our cameras.
“And we know the ball is curved, so it can be over-hanging the line and we need evidence it’s out, and we don’t have that here.
“The ball then comes over and Joelinton challenges Gabriel, and it could be a foul, might be a foul.
“The VAR decides that the evidence from the footage isn’t clear enough to intervene with a recommendation for a review for a clear error.”
He continued: “I think the talks we’ve seen after, the opinion that is split across a lot of analysis, would suggest that was a correct non-intervention because of the subjectivity.
“And then one of those unusual situations where the ball goes between two players, and trying to identify exactly when the ball leaves Joelinton, is really difficult to establish because of the players being so close together.
“So again, no conclusive evidence that Gordon was offside when the ball was last touched.
“The VAR went through that diligently and identified no clear evidence to intervene to overturn the goal. The process was actually correct.”
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