Jamie Carragher took to social media to express his doubts about whether Howard Webb had a hand in the decision-making process surrounding William Saliba’s sending-off during Arsenal’s match against Bournemouth.
Saliba, the French defender, initially received a yellow card from referee Rob Jones in the first half for a foul on Evanilson.
However, after a review by VAR, the decision was escalated, and the yellow card was changed to a red.
As a result of this red card, Saliba will now miss a vital match against Liverpool next weekend.
Carragher raised questions about Webb’s involvement, particularly since the PGMOL chief was seen on his phone in the stands during the game.
In a now-deleted post on X, Carragher inquired, “Was Howard Webb involved in the decision-making for Saliba’s red card?”
The incident sparked significant backlash from Arsenal supporters, who expressed their anger toward Webb and the PGMOL with chants of “F*** Howard Webb” following Saliba’s dismissal.
At the time of the incident, the match remained goalless at halftime.
Saliba’s suspension adds to the difficulties facing Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, as he is already coping without captain Martin Ødegaard, who is nursing an injury.
Although there are hints that Ødegaard could return in time for the Liverpool match, his absence is still a setback.
Additionally, Arsenal is missing Bukayo Saka, who is sidelined due to an injury sustained while on international duty.
In response to the controversy, the Premier League released a statement to clarify the circumstances surrounding the upgrade of Saliba’s yellow card to a red.
The statement explained that Saliba’s foul was classified as denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. “The referee gave Saliba a yellow card for a challenge on Evanilson,” the statement read.
“The VAR deemed that Saliba denied an obvious goal-scoring opportunity and recommended an on-field review, leading the referee to upgrade the card.”
Arsenal has had its share of contentious refereeing decisions this season, with several notable incidents involving red cards.
Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard both received second yellow cards for delaying restarts, with Trossard’s dismissal occurring during a significant title clash with Manchester City last month.
This series of events highlights ongoing frustrations among Arsenal fans regarding officiating standards in the Premier League, particularly regarding decisions that have significant implications for their squad’s performance and depth.
As the season progresses, it remains to be seen how these challenges will affect Arsenal’s ambitions in both the league and cup competitions.
