Newcastle vs Arsenal Var audio leaked online after not being released on Match Officials: Mic’d Up

A purported leaked recording has emerged of the video assistant referee review that failed to overturn a decision not to send off Bruno Guimaraes for elbowing Jorginho in the head during Newcastle United’s win against Arsenal.

Professional Game Match Officials Limited declined to comment on the authenticity of audio that appeared to originate from the Premier League’s Var hub at Stockley Park.

The 50-second recording, which was shared on Reddit, featured a purported conversation between referee Stuart Attwell, Var Andy Madley and assistant Var Stuart Burt.

It emerged online less than 24 hours after the latest episode of the monthly television show Match Officials: Mic’d Up.

The programme had aired footage of the Var check of Anthony Gordon’s controversial winning goal at St James’ Park a week and a half ago, but did not show that of Guimaraes’s elbow, which both the Premier League’s Independent Key Match Incidents Panel and PGMOL chief Howard Webb have since deemed a red-card offence.

The refereeing decisions in the game triggered an angry rant from Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who branded the award of Gordon’s goal “an absolute disgrace”.

In the purported recording of Guimaraes’s clash with Jorginho, a voice said to be Madley’s could be heard saying: “I’m just going to check potential serious foul play.

“He goes into the player... so he lifts his arm up because he’s going into the defender.

“Just have a look at this for me Stu [Burt]. For me, he sees the player, he puts his arm up, and there’s a glancing blow from the side, but for me that’s not used as a weapon.

“That’s not violent conduct. Are you happy with that as well?”

Burt replied: “Yeah, it’s not nice, but I don’t think it’s any more than a yellow card.”

Madley then added: “It doesn’t reach the threshold. Stuart [Attwell], it’s check complete, check complete.”