Was Saliba onside? Disallowed goal, basic calls gone wrong - Chelsea vs Arsenal referee review

Arsenal and Chelsea played out an entertaining 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon. A game billed as perhaps the biggest in both sides' seasons so far certainly left its mark but perhaps to some degree underwhelmed as the weight of losing was evident in both approaches.

Arsenal perhaps edged it on the day in terms of the big chances created and of course the disallowed goal and the miss in the final seconds. However, a point is maybe the fair outcome to both sides.

There were plenty of talking points from the match but particularly when it came to how the game was officiated – some good, some bad. With that said, football.london takes a look at the different incidents and gives its verdict on the incidents from the game

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Kai Havertz disallowed goal

Arsenal thought they had taken the lead in the opening half when Kai Havertz latched onto a quick Declan Rice free-kick to score. The Chelsea players were incensed that it was allowed to even be taken but Michael Oliver had blown his whistle.

However, Havertz was shown by VAR to be standing in an offside position. Despite being close, the lines were not needed to show he was the closest to the goal.

FL review: The issue some fans appeared to have taken with this is the age-old, is this really what VAR is for? Tiny little millimetre calls that a toenail width is the only difference.

While I empathise in some cases, not here. It is clear to the naked eye that Havertz is indeed offside.

FL verdict: Correct decision. Havertz offside.

Nicolas Jackson disallowed goal

Chelsea too had somewhat of a forgotten goal disallowed as well. In the second half, with the scores level, Nicolas Jackson ran through to score after a great pass through from Malo Gusto who had an excellent game.

Jackson was however some yards offside when the ball was played. The Arsenal high-line doing its job to save them from another goal soon after Pedro Neto’s equaliser.

FL review: Gary Neville in commentary complained that the assistant referee had not flagged for what looked an obvious call. Mike Dean agreed and we do too, there was not need for this play to be allowed to play on, it was not close.

FL verdict: Correct decision… but made too late.

Was William Saliba onside?

The biggest moment perhaps of the entire game came with its last kick. Arsenal built a brilliant attack down their left flank with second remaining.

Leandro Trossard into Martin Odegaard, William Saliba running through found by the returning skipper who crossed low for anyone to latch on to but Trossard’s touch saw it go wide but it was Kai Havertz behind who was waiting to tap it in.

FL review: The issue after the game was that many felt Saliba was offside when Odegaard played the ball. However, many images and replays have since shown that Marc Cucurella’s trailing leg was indeed keeping the Frenchman onside as Saliba's leaning arm is not where the line would be drawn, with VAR instead drawing a line down to the ground from the “short sleeve zone”.

FL verdict: Correct decision not to flag.

Basic calls gone wrong

Arsenal experienced a frustrating moment in their 2-2 draw with Liverpool when a Kostas Tsimikas touch saw a blatant corner denied. Again at Chelsea the same moment befell them again as Wesley Fofana touched the ball out of play but the assistant referee gave the goal kick instead, denying the Gunners a potential goalscoring opportunity.

Gabriel Martinelli was also flagged offside during a tight attack in the first half but in two moments replays showed he was in fact onside. This broke up an attack during the final phases of play as the whistle blew.

FL review: Why the official was happy to flag in this moment but not when Nicolas Jackson was clearly offside raises a question of consistency. While the blatant error not to award Arsenal a corner comes uncomfortably close to another recent example.

FL verdict: Again, officiating consistency called into question.