Howard Webb
Howard Webb
Wins do not always kill the argument. A saved penalty can still be the clip a manager watches ten times.
Title races are sensitive to the ones that stand. If the other side of the table gets a goal that should have been reviewed, the complaint letter writes itself.
Judo rolls are not in the laws. That is the phrase that will travel from the Stadium of Light to Stockley Park.
READ MORE: Arsenal to be without three defenders for cup tie against Ipswich Town
Arsenal will contact Howard Webb and Pro Ref over the penalty Ezri Konsa conceded against Sunderland, the Mirror report. Dan Ballard was held at a set piece, Enzo Le Fée’s kick was saved by David Raya, and Bruno Guimaraes scored 121 seconds later in a 2-0 win. Mikel Arteta was still furious.
“It could have been very different. They could’ve changed the game.” Asked who he meant, he said: “You know who.”
He went on: “It is unacceptable at this level. Unacceptable. This can change the course of a season. It’s not acceptable. I have watched it 10 times to make sure, because I watched it live and I said it’s not possible to be a penalty because it’s a judo roll, that’s what it is. This cannot happen.”
“In my view. I have been involved in football for 27 or 28 years. It’s not a penalty in any game, in any game, in any context in any league. I’m so pleased in one sense, I’m so worried in another.”
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The club want an explanation, not a replay of the three points. The Key Match Incidents panel has already told them they should have had a penalty and a second yellow at Aston Villa. This is the next file.
The same weekend Pro Ref admitted an error on Erling Haaland’s goal at Old Trafford. City beat United with a strike that stood after Enzo Fernández was offside in the build-up.
The statement read: “Following the incident in the 60th minute of Sunday’s Premier League fixture between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford, we can provide clarification regarding Erling Haaland’s awarded goal. The on-field decision was offside against Erling Haaland – that was checked by VAR and he was found to be in an onside position.”
“In the same attack, it was established that Enzo Fernandez did not play the ball and therefore that makes any offside offence subjective, however, on this occasion, the VAR did not recognise the likely impact of his position and should have recommended an on-field review. Contact has been made with Manchester United this evening to acknowledge what we deem is an error of judgement. A review of the incident will take place.”
Two perfect starts, two flashpoints, one department getting letters. Arsenal will send theirs about a judo roll that did not cost them. City already have an admission that a goal should have gone to the monitor. Arteta is pleased they won and worried about the next one that does not bounce their way.
Ipswich Town corner flag
Ipswich Town corner flag