Match Officers Mic’d Up: VAR took seven seconds to agree on Brighton’s controversial penalty determination vs Arsenal

VAR took simply seven seconds to find out Brighton’s controversial penalty in opposition to Arsenal was appropriate to be given, with PGMOL chief Howard Webb arguing it was a sound determination.

With Arsenal main 1-0 and set to shut the hole on Premier League leaders Liverpool, Joao Pedro and William Saliba collided heads within the penalty space with Anthony Taylor awarding a penalty, regardless of the Gunners defender getting a contact on the ball.

VAR confirmed the choice to award the penalty and Pedro scored the spot kick to earn Brighton a 1-1 draw.

After the sport, Mikel Arteta was “very disappointed” not solely with the choice to award the penalty due to Saliba’s contact, but additionally due to the time it took the video referee to make his thoughts up.

“When you look at the incident, the distance, the player, Joao Pedro touching the ball, Saliba touching the ball, you can see contact there.”

Requested if he felt VAR ought to have overturned the choice, he replied: “If I expect it? I checked and after three seconds they said they already checked it. It seems quick.”

On the most recent episode of Match Officers Mic’d Up, footage reveals VAR Darren England taking simply seven seconds between asserting he was wanting on the incident, then confirming to referee Taylor he had made the appropriate name.

Talking on the programme, Webb agreed with the choice to award the penalty, claiming Saliba’s contact on the ball was irrelevant because the ball hit the defender.

Based on Webb, Saliba did not “play” the ball regardless of the contact and Pedro “might” have regained possession regardless of Saliba’s intervention taking the ball away from the Brighton attacker.

“It’s a late contact by someone who hasn’t played the ball himself,” argued Webb. “The ball has touched him, but he’s not played it. When you break it down in that way, it’s a foul.”

Whereas trying to justify the proper determination was made, Webb argued Arsenal got the same penalty in the identical fixture final season, when Gabriel Jesus was awarded a penalty regardless of Tariq Lamptey touching the ball simply earlier than bringing him down final April.

“Jesus was still moving onto that ball in the same way Pedro might have been moving onto that ball,” claimed Webb. “There are similarities in terms of that touch, yes that touch occurred but it doesn’t negate the award of a penalty kick in either case. Both are penalty kicks.”

The timings – a transcript

CONTACT: Joao Pedro collides with William Saliba

4 seconds later: Anthony Taylor blows his whistle to present the penalty. He says: “He’s headed his head. Penalty is the on-field decision.”

5 seconds later: VAR says: “Checking the on-field decision of penalty.”

One second later: VAR says: “Clear. Clear penalty. Head on head.”

Six seconds later: VAR says: Confirming the on-field determination of penalty, simply checking the APP (Attacking Possession Part)

VAR then checks whether or not there’s a foul on Gabriel within the build-up by Yankubah Minteh, then checks whether or not Joao Pedro handballed it.

One minute later, when VAR will get one other have a look at the Pedro-Saliba incident and doesn’t discover a contact on the ball from Saliba, the VAR says: “Confirming the on-field decision of penalty. Check complete.”

Webb’s verdict in full

PGMOL chief Howard Webb:

“I can’t think of something like this, that doesn’t mean it’s wrong. It means it’s unusual. What you see in this situation is two players going towards a ball in the air. Pedro flicks it up, he and Saliba go towards the ball and Pedro heads it onto Saliba. Saliba doesn’t head it.

“Saliba has the ball flicked onto his head after which he goes into the top of Pedro. He will get there late on Pedro, who goes down.

“It’s a late contact by someone who hasn’t played the ball himself. The ball has touched him, but he’s not played it. And Pedro goes down.

“Once you break it down in that method, it is a foul. I do know it has break up opinion however I’ve heard lots of people see it in that method, it is a late contact by a participant who has didn’t play the ball and has made contact with the participant within the penalty space.

“If he heads the ball first at that loose ball and there’s a collision, I have no issue with that and then there’s a collision. That’s not what happened.

“Pedro will get there first and heads it onto Saliba. Saliba goes into Pedro, the ball brushes his head, however he then goes into Pedro[‘s path].

“That touch on the ball doesn’t negate the possible award of a penalty. We’ve seen other examples where the ball may touch a player but there’s still heavy contact on the follow through and it’s a penalty.”

“If a player cleanly plays the ball away or heads the ball away, you’re looking at something different. That’s not what happens here.

“Pedro heads the ball onto Saliba, who goes into Pedro and takes him down. For that motive, it is a very supportable penalty kick.”

Were Arsenal rightly or wrongly awarded a similar penalty vs Brighton last season?

Webb and Mic’d Up Match Officers host Michael Owen then mentioned the same incident between these two groups final season.

Final April, Arsenal had been awarded penalty at Brighton, the place Tariq Lamptey received a contact on the ball, then introduced down Gabriel Jesus. VAR checked the choice and agreed with the on-field name.

“How ironic that it’s the same two teams in the same two games at the same place,” mentioned Webb.

“This was given as a penalty to Arsenal – fully accepted as such – because they saw Jesus knock the ball. Yes, it does hit Lamptey’s leg but that follow-through brings him down.

“Jesus was nonetheless transferring onto that ball in the identical method Pedro may have been transferring onto that ball. There are similarities when it comes to that contact, sure that contact occurred nevertheless it does not negate the award of a penalty kick in both case. Each are penalty kicks.”

Webb discusses extra incidents on Match Officers Mic’d Up

Howard Webb additionally took a have a look at 5 different Premier League incidents on the most recent version of Match Officers Mic’d Up. Hit play on the movies under to listen to his ideas…