Fulham defender Calvin Bassey’s upcoming ban against Liverpool underscores a deeper issue of inconsistent officiating and its ripple effects on the Premier League’s competitive balance.
Bassey’s yellow card against Arsenal, his fifth of the season, enforces a mandatory one-match suspension that sidelines him for Fulham’s trip to Anfield.
For Arsenal supporters, however, this comes as cold comfort, given Bassey’s arguably red-card-worthy antics during Fulham’s 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage.
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 08: Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal, shows dejection after the Premier League match between Fulham FC and Arsenal FC at Craven Cottage on December 08, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
Arsenal vs Fulham: incidents under scrutiny
Bassey’s actions during the match have reignited long-standing frustrations about the application of disciplinary measures by PGMOL. The Nigerian international’s yellow card in the 72nd minute, awarded for pushing Kai Havertz, should have been his second of the afternoon. In one notable incident during the first half, Bassey kicked the ball away three times, before trying to carry it away, to disrupt an Arsenal throw-in—a textbook case of delaying the restart that referee Chris Kavanagh chose to overlook.
This non-call starkly contrasts with Kavanagh’s prior call during Arsenal’s clash with Brighton, where Declan Rice was booked for a single instance of tapping the ball away, a yellow that happened to be his second.
On the PGMOL’s “Mic’d Up” programme, Kavanagh rationalised his decision: “I had no choice, he knocks the ball away. You did kick the ball, you did,” he is heard saying. “He’s knocked the ball away. You need to go Dec, you need to go. I don’t like it, I don’t like it. But he’s knocked the ball, he’s kicked the ball. Dec, you need to go I’m afraid.”
LONDON, ENGLAND: Declan Rice of Arsenal interacts with match referee Chris Kavanagh after being shown a second yellow card during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Brighton & Hove Albion FC at Emirates Stadium on August 31, 2024. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
Further annoying Arsenal fans, in the same Brighton match, another player flagrantly booted the ball across the pitch without reprimand. Kavanagh, it seems, only has ‘no choice’ when it is an Arsenal player.
The divergent consequences for Liverpool and Arsenal
Bassey’s enforced absence delivers mixed implications for Liverpool and Arsenal. For Arne Slot’s Liverpool, the suspension weakens Fulham’s defensive backline, making their Anfield encounter ostensibly more navigable.
Conversely, Arsenal are left pondering the ‘what ifs’—a scenario where Bassey’s dismissal could have tilted the balance in their favour. Fulham’s defensive resilience, buoyed by time-wasting tactics and decisions like those sparing Bassey from an earlier booking, contributed significantly to Arsenal’s frustration.
Post-match, Mikel Arteta’s remarks captured this sentiment: “[I’m] gutted that we didn’t win it because I think we deserved to win from the beginning to the end.”
The wider officiating conundrum
Central to the controversy is the Premier League’s inconsistent enforcement of rules. While “kicking the ball away” is not explicitly codified as an offence, “delaying the restart of play” is—a distinction often overlooked.
Arsenal players, in particular, have been penalised for such actions, even in scenarios devoid of actual delay. Meanwhile, similar or more egregious conduct by opponents frequently goes unpunished, as exemplified by Bassey’s disruptions.
Of course, nobody wants to see players booked for this sort of thing, it’s stupid. But if you are going to send off Arsenal players for it, the least we can expect is that all players are held to the same stupid standard.
Conclusion
Calvin Bassey’s suspension for Fulham’s next match against Liverpool represents a significant boon for Slot’s title-chasing side while compounding Arsenal’s grievances. The broader issue of inconsistent officiating, however, looms larger.
Until the Premier League achieves uniform application of its rules, questions will persist about the legitimacy of decisions that shape the league’s most consequential outcomes.
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