LATEST NEWS: Howard Webb acknowledges that an error occurred prior to Declan Rice’s red card in the Arsenal vs. Brighton match.
Howard Webb has admitted that Joao Pedro should have received a yellow card before Declan Rice’s red card in Arsenal’s 1-1 draw against Brighton on August 31.
Arsenal were frustrated when Rice was shown a second yellow card for kicking the ball away. However, just before this incident, Brighton’s Joao Pedro had delayed Arsenal’s attempt to restart play by kicking the ball away, but he was not cautioned at the time.
Webb, head of PGMOL, acknowledged that referee Chris Kavanagh should have booked Pedro but defended the decision to send off Rice. Webb explained that Pedro’s action should have been penalized with a yellow card as it was similar to the booking for delaying the restart of play.
Webb noted, “Pedro should have been booked. The delay caused by his actions was significant, affecting Arsenal’s ability to restart play. We’ve communicated this feedback to the officials. Consistency in handling such situations is crucial, and Pedro’s actions warranted a yellow card.”
Regarding Rice’s red card, Webb stated, “I don’t believe it could have been avoided. Referee Kavanagh saw Rice commit a foul and then deliberately kick the ball away from an opponent preparing for a free kick. We’ve emphasized to players the importance of not delaying restarts, and the decision to send off Rice was consistent with our approach, as we’ve seen a significant increase in yellow cards for such offenses.”
Overall, Webb defended the handling of Rice’s red card while acknowledging the mistake regarding Pedro’s yellow card.