Howard Webb agrees with punishment for foul that has sidelined key Liverpool man
It was a decision that perplexed Liverpool supporters. And an incident that has left Arne Slot sweating on the fitness of a key forward going into a massive run of fixtures.
But PGMOL chief Howard Webb has backed referee John Brooks and the VAR team's decision not to send off Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo for his foul on Diogo Jota in Liverpool's incident-placed 2-1 win at Anfield on October 20.
The Reds striker was hauled down near the halfway line by Adarabioyo, who was awarded a yellow card before a VAR check took place. Despite containing similarities to the foul that saw William Saliba sent off for Arsenal in their 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth the night before, Stockley Park officials did not deem it necessary of further possible punishment and so no on-screen review was recommended.
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Jota was given treatment at the time and initially played on before he was forced to concede defeat and come off for Darwin Nunez in the 30th minute.
The Portuguese hasn't played since and in his press conference on Friday, Liverpool head coach Slot admitted that the Jota looks a major doubt for the massive double header against Real Madrid in the Champions League and Manchester City in the Premier League after the international break.
Speaking on the latest edition of Match Officials Mic'd Up, Webb believes a yellow for Adarabioyo and a red for Saliba were the correct calls.
He said: "The two situations have been compared as they happened in the same match round. It often happens. Again, in this situation, the on-field decision was a yellow card for Tosin stopping a promising attack.
"The referee felt this fell short of being DOGSO (denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity) because the ball is arcing away to the right.
"With Saliba, the ball is going towards the centre. Another key aspect is, for me, that Levi Colwill is pretty close by. It's happened high up the field and Colwill would undoubtedly have been able to impact this situation.
"I agree with a yellow card in this situation."
On the show, the audio of the conversation between Brooks, the fourth official and the VAR team was released:
Referee: Foul and a yellow.
Fourth official: Pulls him back, mate.
Assistant referee: Yellow.
Referee: Tosin, yellow. There's a man there.
VAR: Too much distance, too much doubt.
VAR: I'm confirming, on-field decision of yellow card. Clearly too much doubt for DOGSO.