VAR took SEVEN seconds to agree Brighton pen vs Arsenal | Webb: Right call

VAR took just seven seconds to determine Brighton’s controversial penalty against Arsenal was correct to be given, with PGMOL chief Howard Webb arguing it was a valid decision.

With Arsenal leading 1-0 and set to close the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool, Joao Pedro and William Saliba collided heads in the penalty area with Anthony Taylor awarding a penalty, despite the Gunners defender getting a touch on the ball.

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

After the game, Mikel Arteta was “very disappointed” not only with the decision to award the penalty because of Saliba’s touch, but also because of the time it took the video referee to make his mind 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.”

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

On the latest episode of Match Officials Mic’d Up, footage shows VAR Darren England taking just seven seconds between announcing he was looking at the incident, then confirming to referee Taylor he had made the right call.

Speaking on the programme, Webb agreed with the decision to award the penalty, claiming Saliba’s touch on the ball was irrelevant as the ball hit the defender.

According to Webb, Saliba didn’t “play” the ball despite the contact and Pedro “might” have regained possession despite 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.”

While attempting to justify the correct decision was made, Webb argued Arsenal were given a similar penalty in the same fixture last season, when Gabriel Jesus was awarded a penalty despite Tariq Lamptey touching the ball just before bringing him down last 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

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

Five 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 decision of penalty, just checking the APP (Attacking Possession Phase)

VAR then checks whether there is a foul on Gabriel in the build-up by Yankubah Minteh, then checks whether Joao Pedro handballed it.

One minute later, when VAR gets another look at the Pedro-Saliba incident and does not notice a touch 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 and then he goes into the head of Pedro. He gets 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.

“When you break it down in that way, it’s a foul. I know it has split opinion but I’ve heard a lot of people see it in that way, it’s a late contact by a player who has failed to play the ball and has made contact with the player in the penalty area.

“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 gets there first and heads it onto Saliba. Saliba goes into Pedro, the ball brushes his head, but 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 reason, this 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 Officials host Michael Owen then discussed a similar incident between these two teams last season.

Last April, Arsenal were awarded penalty at Brighton, where Tariq Lamptey got a touch on the ball, then brought down Gabriel Jesus. VAR checked the decision and agreed with the on-field call.

“How ironic that it’s the same two teams in the same two games at the same place,” said 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 still moving onto that ball in the same way Pedro might have been moving onto that ball. 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.”

Webb discusses more incidents on Match Officials Mic’d Up

Howard Webb also took a look at five other Premier League incidents on the latest edition of Match Officials Mic’d Up. Hit play on the videos below to hear his thoughts…