Plus: Howard Webb analyses why Tomas Soucek's role led to West Ham being denied a late winner against Aston Villa and much more in the latest episode ofMatch Officials Mic'd Up alongside former Liverpool and Man Utd striker Michael Owen
Wednesday 20 March 2024 12:10, UK
In the latest instalment of Match Officials Mic'd Up, PGMOL chief Howard Webb explains why Liverpool were not awarded a penalty late on against Manchester City, why West Ham were denied a late winner against Aston Villa, and more...
Liverpool were not given a penalty by VAR in the final minute of their pulsating 1-1 draw against Manchester City on Super Sunday.
In the final minute of the match, Jeremy Doku challenged Alexis Mac Allister in the penalty area as City defended a corner - and appeared to catch the Liverpool No 10 in the chest.
Referee Michael Oliver waved away the call and VAR Stuart Attwell took a long look at the decision - and opted to stick with the on-field call.
Howard Webb: "This one has split opinion. I think it's one where had the referee given it on the field, it would have been 'check complete' by the VAR.
"But having not given it, it is also 'check complete'. You can hear Michael Oliver say that the ball is in between. The ball is too low to head... Doku lifts his foot to play the ball and he does make contact on the ball.
"We know there is some contact on Mac Allister as well so he's not really playing the ball either.
"I think it would have been 'check complete' either way as he doesn't want to be re-refereeing the game in situations that are not really clear.
"In this situation, the VAR stays out of it and I think that's what we would expect.
"It's a massive game, so as a referee, you just want clarity and certainty that you're making the right decision. You don't always have sufficient information that you're making the right decision. You need that on big moments in and around the penalty area.
"You do everything you can to be in the right position. Michael didn't have certainty in this situation but VAR didn't have any clear and obvious evidence to overturn the on-field decision. It's subjective and so stays out of it. VAR followed the right course in not getting involved."
In West Ham's 1-1 draw with Aston Villa, it took five-and-a-half minutes to clear up whether the hosts had scored a late winner.
Tomas Soucek thought he had won it for the Hammers in the dying stages of added time, after getting on the end of James Ward-Prowse's free-kick.
But it was ruled out for handball after a lengthy Video Assistant Referee (VAR) check.
Howard Webb: "It was quite a complicated sequence as there was quite a lot going on. We see the free-kick coming in and we know there is a possible offside.
"There's also a couple of potential handball offences. There's one by Tomas Soucek and we know the ball definitely comes off Soucek's hand.
"But he's not the goalscorer as the ball then hits Jarrod Bowen on the ground. We see and hear the VAR and AVAR going through the sequence.
"They're trying to find the most definitive aspect of it. They're looking at whether it hits Jarrod's arm on the floor. If it does, then we know that the goal can't stand.
"We know that if the ball hits the scorer's arm - even if it is accidental - then the goal has to be disallowed. They're looking at the goal from different angles to see if the ball hits Bowen's arm.
"I suspect it hits his left arm but we can't quite get the definitive angle. So they go back to Soucek to see if it comes off his arm - but for Soucek, it has to be a deliberate handball offence or he has made himself bigger in some way.
"It did take quite a bit of time. Soucek turns his body to knock it onto Bowen so it is a handball. It's an example of how complicated these sequences can be."
During Aston Villa's 4-0 home defeat by Tottenham, John McGinn was dismissed for a reckless tackle on visiting left-back Destiny Udogie in the 65th minute.
Referee Chris Kavanagh did not require a VAR review and decided to dismiss the Villa captain after witnessing the tackle.
Howard Webb: "When we try to identify a red card offence, we look at whether a player leaves the ground, does he lunge in two-footed or with a straight leg, does he go over the foot with the studs.
"It doesn't happen in this situation, but what we do see is John McGinn take a really strong kicking action into the opponent. The law only asks us to identify whether the action has excessive force or brutality.
"This one, I think, clearly does and the officials did as well. The Tottenham players didn't react to the officials in this case - they went straight to John McGinn.
"They're not trying to influence the referee into showing a red card. They're identifying that it's a brutal action from McGinn."
During Crystal Palace's 3-0 win over Burnley last month, the game's turning point came in the first half when midfielder Josh Brownhill was sent off.
The Eagles dominated possession in the opening period but could not find a breakthrough before Brownhill was shown a straight red card.
James Trafford played a ball to Brownhill, who was under pressure from Jefferson Lerma, and he brought down the midfielder when he was through on goal.
Howard Webb: "This one is a pretty clear situation. DOGSO stands for 'Denial of an obvious Goalscoring Opportunity'. When we analyse this, we look at four elements: was the play moving towards goal? What was the distance from goal? Did the attacking player have possession and control of the ball? And finally, what is the location of the other defenders?
"Could they interject to prevent that attack? In this situation, we see that all four elements are present and therefore when the foul happens, it's denying a clear goalscoring opportunity and therefore a red card comes.
"In this situation, there's a clear shirt pull by Brownhill - but it doesn't matter that it was deliberate or whether there was an attempt to play the ball. As it's outside the penalty area so it's always a red card. If we move it into the area, then it wouldn't be a red card if Brownhill was making a genuine attempt to play the ball.
"It would be a yellow card, but if it is a cynical shirt pull as it is in this case, it would still have to be a red. It's a good decision from the officials."
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