Controversial Goal Upheld Despite Mikel Arteta's Protests

Former referee Howard Webb has come forward to back the VAR decision to award Anthony Gordon's goal against Arsenal. This confirmation deals a blow to Gunners boss Mikel Arteta, who expressed his anger about the decision after the game.

Unusual Situation with Multiple Aspects

The goal was checked for several potential infringements, including the ball going out of play, offside, a foul on Gabriel Magalhaes, and a handball. Despite these considerations, Webb stated that he was in agreement with the decisions made on the field.

Absolute Precision in Decision-Making

Webb highlighted the Assistant Referee's position, which provided a clear view of the goalline. With the ball not having much pace, the Assistant Referee's perspective was deemed more accurate than the camera angles available. Additionally, the curvature of the ball made it difficult to determine if it had crossed the line or not.

Subjectivity and Lack of Conclusive Evidence

Webb explained that the VAR did not intervene to recommend a review due to the lack of clear evidence. There was debate over a potential foul by Joelinton on Gabriel, but the VAR determined that the footage was not clear enough to make a definitive ruling. Similarly, the close proximity of the players made it challenging to establish if Gordon was offside when the ball was last touched.

The Correct Process

In conclusion, Webb emphasized that the VAR diligently reviewed the footage and found no clear evidence to overturn the goal. Despite differing opinions in the analysis, the non-intervention by the VAR was deemed correct due to the subjectivity of the situation.