Sky Sports has addressed speculation regarding PGMOL chief Howard Webb’s involvement in the decision to send off Arsenal defender William Saliba during the Gunners’ 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth.
Saliba received a red card at the Vitality Stadium after initially being shown a yellow for a foul on Bournemouth striker Evanilson. Referee Robert Jones consulted the pitchside monitor after a review by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) and ultimately upgraded the card to red, leading to frustration among Arsenal fans.
Former players Theo Walcott and Jamie Redknapp asserted that the decision was correct, but many supporters questioned whether Webb, who was seen texting during the VAR review, had influenced the referee’s decision. Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher and sports presenter Richard Keys also raised concerns about Webb’s presence in the stands.
“Was Howard Webb involved in the decision-making of the red card for Saliba?” Carragher asked in a now-deleted social media post, while Keys wondered, “Who was Howard Webb texting? And why?”
In response, Sky Sports presenter David Jones clarified that Webb was listening to communications between the on-field officials and the VAR team, stating, “He has no input into the decision.” Jones explained that Webb was simply monitoring the match, similar to how broadcasters operate, and did not communicate with the officials.
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp dismissed conspiracy theories surrounding Webb’s role, saying, “Anyone who thinks he’s trying to influence the game is talking nonsense. He can’t turn to the referee; we’ve got VAR and everyone there looking at it.”
Regarding Saliba’s red card, Redknapp pointed out that the defender would have likely gotten to the ball first if he hadn’t fouled Evanilson. He emphasized that it was a clear denial of a goalscoring opportunity.
The Premier League also confirmed that the VAR upgraded Saliba’s yellow card to red because he denied an obvious goalscoring opportunity. Arsenal tried to stay competitive with ten men, but goals from Ryan Christie and Justin Kluivert sealed their fate.
Arsenal’s midfielder Declan Rice reflected on the match, stating, “We’ve kicked ourselves in the foot three times in eight games,” and emphasized the need to avoid mistakes that lead to players being sent off.
Despite the defeat, Rice expressed pride in the team’s resilience, saying, “With 10 men, we showed character and personality to stay in the game.” Arsenal missed the opportunity to go top of the Premier League, while Bournemouth’s win elevated them into the top half of the table.
Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola praised his team’s performance, stating, “It was quite a mature win… we had to control the game, attack but not lose our minds.”