Premier League referees' chief Howard Webb says Sven Botman's challenge on Nicolas Jackson was a "high-end reckless challenge" but backed the video assistant referee's decision not to intervene for a red card. Botman was shown a yellow card - the correct sanction for a reckless foul - by referee Jarred Gillett for the Dutch centre-back's 18th minute challenge on Villa striker Nicolas Jackson on Saturday. The defender went in strongly and over the top of the ball, though contact on the opponent was with his trailing leg.
"I think it's reckless," Gillett said of the challenge. "Even though you get a touch on the ball, it's still reckless." The VAR, Stuart Attwell, decided to support the on-field call of a caution because there was "no secondary scissor action" and contact was "not with the studs". "I know the referee said yellow card but it was so high and hopefully maybe next time a red card, but it was a yellow," Jackson said after the game.
"I nearly broke my leg, but anyway, it's part of football." Webb says the on-field decision would have remained whether Gillett showed a yellow or a red card. Villa won the game 1-0 through a 36th-minute Johan Manzambi goal. On Match Officials Mic'd Up, Webb said that "robust tackling" is "part of the English game" but that referee still had "a responsibility to ensure players' safety".
"The referee in the moment, on the ground, sees it as a reckless challenge - no doubt a high-end reckless challenge - as Botman comes in and gets a touch on the ball," Webb said. "There's obviously some speed he comes in with. The VAR looks at that decision and tries to identify whether that was clearly wrong.
"We don't want the referee's decision to be re-refereed by the VAR. We want the referee to have ownership of the decision and the VAR to only step in when there's an element that's clearly wrong. "So if the VAR had seen strong stud contact from Botman's extended leg into the ankle or shin of Jackson, or there had been a closing of the scissor, I think we'd have probably come out with a different outcome after the VAR had looked at it.
"But he doesn't see that. He realises it's subjective, and he allows it to stay on the field with the referee's call standing. "Equally, if that had been a red card, for sure it would've been check complete by the VAR as well.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
