The head of referees supports the decision against Arsenal

The debate about Arsenal’s denied penalty in the recent 2-1 win over Newcastle heats up further with PGMOL chief Howard Webb speaking out.

In a highly tense moment, Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres fell inside the penalty area after a collision with goalkeeper Nick Pope. Referee Jarred Gillett immediately pointed to the penalty spot, giving the Gunners a great chance to open the scoring.

However, VAR intervened and instructed Gillett to review the incident on the pitchside monitor. After consideration, he overturned the penalty decision, ruling that Pope touched the ball before the collision occurred.

This decision greatly upset coach Mikel Arteta. The Spanish manager argued that VAR had violated the principle of “only intervening in cases of clear and obvious errors.” He emphasized: “If the referee needs too much time to review, it means it’s not a clear error. VAR should not intervene.”

Contrary to Arteta’s view, England’s head of referees Howard Webb defended the officiating team and affirmed that VAR acted correctly. On the program Match Officials Mic’d Up, Webb explained:

“VAR thoroughly checked and clearly saw Nick Pope’s right foot made contact, deflecting the ball before hitting Gyokeres. The main referee missed this detail on the field. Once VAR highlighted it, it became a clear error and the original decision had to be reversed.”

Webb further stressed that Pope’s action was completely legal, lacking any dangerous or reckless intent. “The subsequent collision was merely a natural consequence of a successful clearance and should not be considered a foul,” he stated.

Although Arsenal ultimately won 2-1, coach Arteta and many Gunners fans believe they were unfairly denied a rightful penalty. On the other hand, referees and many experts think VAR ensured fairness by identifying a crucial detail missed by the main official.

This case once again highlights the complexity of applying VAR technology in the Premier League. The “clear and obvious error” principle remains controversial, especially in borderline situations heavily dependent on the referee’s judgment.

Howard Webb’s comments may help ease some pressure on the refereeing team, but they likely won’t satisfy Arsenal. This match reignites the endless debate: Is VAR truly delivering fairness, or are there still too many gaps in how it operates?