Howard Webb discussed the incident on Match Officials Mic’d Up
Audio from the VAR decision to award Newcastle’s goal in their 1-0 win against Arsenal has been released for the first time.
Newcastle took the lead on the hour mark as Anthony Gordon reacted quickest to stab home a loose ball in the box, however Arsenal believed that the goal should’ve been ruled out.
Gordon’s goal went through three separate VAR checks before it was awarded.
The first of those was to check if the ball had gone out of play, the second on whether Joelinton has pushed Gabriel and finally, if Gordon was offside in the build up to the goal.
Mikel Arteta blasted the decision to award the goal after the game, describing it as “an absolute disgrace” before the club doubled down in a statement the following day.
Arteta added: “I don’t care honestly, I don’t care what they say. It’s the outcome. It’s too late, whatever they say is too late.”
PGMOL chief Howard Webb talked through the incidents on his Match Officials Mic’d Up show on Tuesday night.
Webb went through each of the three checks. Starting with the debate about whether the ball was out of play or not, VAR concludedthat there was “no evidence” to determine if the ball was out of play.
As for a possible Joelinton foul on Gabriel, the on-field referee says that there is “normal contact” between the two, citing that there was no “specific foul”.
“I see two hands on his back but I don’t see anything of a push that warrants him flying forward like that,” they added.
In the final of the three audio clips, the assistant VAR said that there was “no conclusive evidence” to prove that Gordon was standing in an offside position therefore they had no option but to award the goal.
Related links:
- Premier League panel announces decision on Newcastle goal vs Arsenal after investigation
- Gary Neville breaks down why VAR couldn’t overrule the ball being out of play during Newcastle vs Arsenal
- Every word of Mikel Arteta’s furious VAR rant after Arsenal’s defeat at Newcastle United
