Published on 16.11.2023
Video assistant referees have been urged to take a more proactive approach in questioning officials following a string of contentious judgments.
This involves the erroneous penalization of Wolves’ Hwang Hee-chan for a foul on Newcastle’s Fabian Schar during their 2-2 draw. Howard Webb, the head of refereeing in the Premier League, stated that VAR should have stepped in.
Listen to the full four minute VAR check of Anthony Gordon's controversial goal for Newcastle against Arsenal and PGMOL chief Howard Webb discussing the process of awarding the goal 🔊 pic.twitter.com/f0wGwsPqhE
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) November 14, 2023
“We are instructing VARs to review the incident and if they disagree with the decision, inquire with the referee about their perspective,” explained Webb.
During first-half stoppage time with the game tied at 1-1, on-field referee Anthony Taylor awarded a penalty when Hwang contested with Schar inside the Wolves’ area. However, it seemed that Schar had kicked the ground and was already falling before any contact occurred.
Despite an extensive VAR inspection, Taylor’s original decision stood and Callum Wilson scored for Newcastle.
Following the game, Wolves manager Gary O’Neil denounced the decision as “outrageous.”
O’Neil has frequently voiced his disapproval of refereeing and VAR this season. His team has been on the receiving end of several significant decisions, such as the non-awarding of a penalty to Wolves during their match against Manchester United, and an incorrectly awarded penalty to Sheffield United in their narrow victory over Wolverhampton.
During his appearance on Match Officials Mic’d Up, a program by Premier League Productions that reviews VAR decisions from recent months, Webb acknowledged an error. He disclosed that video officials are now encouraged to challenge on-field referees for more detailed explanations when a decision is open to debate.
“VAR should not act as a secondary referee during the game; it should be utilized only in clear-cut situations where errors occur on the field. In this instance, we observe that Hwang did not make contact with the ball; rather, it was played onto him by Schar before there was player contact,” stated Webb, who serves as the head of Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), overseeing officiating for all Premier League matches.
