Howard Webb's role questioned after Saliba's red card in Premier League
- Saliba received a yellow card, which was later upgraded to red after a VAR review.
- Howard Webb's presence at the game raised suspicions among fans regarding his influence on officiating decisions.
- PGMOL clarified that Webb was not involved in the VAR decisions, but the incident highlights ongoing concerns about officiating consistency.
On October 21, 2024, during a Premier League match in the UK, Arsenal defender William Saliba was sent off with a red card, moments after receiving a yellow card for a challenge on Evanilson. The dismissal was prompted by a VAR intervention, which upgraded the initial yellow card. Howard Webb, the chief of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), was present at the game and was seen communicating during the VAR review, sparking speculation among fans about his involvement in the decision. Richard Keys, a former Sky Sports anchor, empathized with Arsenal supporters’ frustrations, especially given a similar situation where Chelsea player Tosin was not penalized. This led to questions regarding Webb’s role and a potential bias shown during the match. However, PGMOL officials clarified that Webb was merely observing the match and was not influencing the VAR’s decisions, indicating he was listening to the communication between VAR officials and on-field referees. The discrepancies in officiating decisions continued to fuel discussions about the consistency and fairness of VAR usage, and the governing body’s efforts to maintain transparency surrounding officiating decisions were highlighted. Webb's presence and communications during the game raised eyebrows and added to the ongoing debate about VAR's impact on controversial refereeing outcomes in the league.