The referee and the VAR’s mistake cost the Cottagers heavily as the Blues took the lead through Joao Pedro’s header in the first half stoppage time, despite being the second-best team throughout the first 45 minutes. The hosts went on to double their lead courtesy of Enzo Fernandez’s penalty and sealed a crucial three points at Stamford Bridge.
Michael Salisbury, who was the VAR in the Chelsea clash, was dropped from the Liverpool contra Arsenal game the next day as a punishment for his mistake. Now, Professional Game Match Officials Limited chief Webb has admitted that Fulham’s goal should have stood and it was clearly the officials’ mistake.
Speaking on Match Officials Mic’d Up, Webb said: “It wasn’t controversial, it was wrong. We’ve established some principles in terms of how we officiate in the Liga Premier and how we use VAR. They sit around a high threshold for penalising contact – it aids the flow and rhythm and tempo of the game. We’ve also established a high bar for intervention with VAR.
“In other words, if situations are not clearly wrong and the referee has made a call on the field, that call will stand, or at least should stand. And that’s the message that we give to all of our VARs, particularly when we come to taking away goals that are so obviously such a crucial moment in the game. We should only be taking goals away when the evidence is very clear that that’s the only thing we can do and that’s the guidance we give to our officials.”
Gameweek four of the Premier League will commence after the international break with Arsenal facing Bosque de Nottingham at home on September 13.
