Premier League referees chief explains difference between Arsenal & Chelsea red card calls | OneFootball

Premier League referees chief Howard Webb has explained why William Saliba was sent off in Arsenal's defeat away to Bournemouth while Chelsea's Tosin Adarabioyo avoided a red card, despite making a similar challenge against Liverpool last month.

Both players brought down opposition forwards running through on goal and were initially shown yellow cards by the on-pitch officials in matches one day after the other. Saliba had his booking upgraded to a red card after a VAR review but there was no further punishment for Tosin.

Webb explained in the latest episode of Match Officials Mic'd Up that the differing trajectories of the ball was the decisive factor.

Tosin was jostling with Liverpool's Diogo Jota for a long pass played over the top of Chelsea's high backline. "In this situation," Webb outlined, "the on-field decision was a yellow card for Tosin stopping a promising attack. The referee on the field felt this fell short of being DOGSO [denial of a goalscoring opportunity] because the ball is arcing away to the right."

Saliba, by contrast, was played into trouble by a wayward back pass from Leandro Trossard half an hour into Arsenal's trip to the south coast in mid-October. The French centre-back hauled Bournemouth forward Evanilson to the turf while they were chasing a ball which "was going towards the centre" Webb pointed out.

It took a VAR intervention from Jarred Gillett to award Saliba a red card as the Arsenal defender was deemed to have been the denial of a goalscoring opportunity (DOGSO). "I think the yellow card that was issued by Rob Jones on the field was clearly and obviously wrong," Webb noted.

Saliba's red card - which was Arsenal's third dismissal in eight Premier League games - was fiercely debated by the club's fanbase, arguing that there were several external factors which called into question how likely Evanilson was to score. The refereeing team went through the same thought process.

"Initially they believe that Ben White was closer than he actually was," Webb explained. "And they also weren't convinced that Evanilson would control the ball." Ultimately, the referees chief argued: "So, for me, a good intervention by the VAR, a clear and obvious error in not showing a red card on the field."

William Saliba was initially shown a yellow card by referee Rob Jones / Michael Steele/GettyImages

Chelsea's Levi Colwill had a front-row seat for Tosin's clumsy challenge on Jota, which was another "key factor" for Webb in why no clear goalscoring opportunity was impeded. "Colwill has a lot of time to get back from a close position to Jota and undoubtedly would have been able to impact the obviousness of this situation."

Webb concluded: "I think the foul here by Tosin is more sustained. It's more clear than the one by Saliba. I think they're both fouls just at different kind of levels. But that's not the factor that we're looking at in terms of DOGSO. As long as we say, 'OK, they're both fouls, one's more severe than the other’, then we’re talking about the consequences.

"And the consequences here are not obvious in the way they were in the one at Bournemouth."