Deleted Carragher post about Howard Webb after what PGMOL chief did in Arsenal v Bournemouth – Pic | OneFootball

Arsenal lost 2-0 to Bournemouth at Vitality Stadium on Saturday to suffer their first Premier League defeat of 2024-25, with the sending off of William Saliba in the 30th minute eventually proving costly.

A misplaced pass from Leandro Trossard put the Frenchman in trouble, and he pulled Cherries Evanilson who was getting ready to go through on goal.

The Arsenal star was initially handed a yellow card by referee Robert Jones, but it was upgraded to a red card after VAR intervened.

PGMOL’s chief refereeing officer Howard Webb was seen on his phone when the VAR check was ongoing, and Jamie Carragher took to X (formerly Twitter) to react, posting the message seen below before deleting it shortly afterwards.

However, Webb was simply listening to the conversation going on between the on-field officials and the VAR team.

The audio between VAR and on-field officials is the same that all broadcasters can listen to, and the former ref cannot make an input or talk to any of the officials as that is not allowed when management/coaches attend matches.

Luckily for Arsenal, Saliba will only miss a game as his red card was not for violent conduct – which would have meant a three-match suspension.

The Gunners host Liverpool at Emirates Stadium next Sunday and will be desperate to pick up all three points and return to winning ways after the disappointment of Saturday.

Being without Saliba against the league leaders will be a huge blow for Arsenal, but manager Mikel Arteta has options, with Ben White and Riccardo Calafiori capable of playing alongside Gabriel Magalhaes at centre-back.

They cannot afford to drop points against Liverpool given how tight the title race is expected to be this term, and the fans will hope their third red card of the season will not prove damaging in the long run.