Head of Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) Howard Webb has admitted that the officials during Arsenal’s match with Brighton earlier this season made a big mistake and it could cost the Gunners the Premier League title.
Mikel Arteta’s team played out a 1-1 draw with the Seagulls at the Emirates Stadium in August and it was a clash surrounded by controversy as a result of the red card handed to Declan Rice.
The England international nudged the ball away from Joel Veltman as the Dutch star tried to take a quick free kick, which ended up with the midfielder being shown a second yellow for delaying the game.
Weeks later, Leandro Trossard was dismissed for the same offence in a huge match against Man City at the Etihad, which left Arsenal playing the entire second half with just ten men. Although it was a big talking point, this incident didn’t spark as much debate as the Rice red card.
One reason for this is the role of Brighton’s Joao Pedro as the forward hoofed the ball away after Arsenal had been awarded a set-piece and escaped any punishment.
The Brazilian footballer would go on to net the equaliser for Brighton with 58 minutes on the clock, which infuriated Arsenal fans due to the lack of consistency in the same game.
One man who did not forget this was legendary Arsenal figure Ian Wright and when given the chance to speak to Howard Webb, the pundit questioned him on the Gunners’ match against Brighton.
Howard Webb admits officials made a mistake during Arsenal’s clash with Brighton
Speaking on the latest episode of Stick to Football, Ian Wright brought up the controversy around the Joao Pedro decision against Arsenal when speaking to Webb, resulting in the head of the PGMOL admitting that the officials on the day made a mistake.
Highlighting the Brighton star’s actions, Wright said: “With that one, I cannot understand how he can kick the ball so far away and not get booked. It’s the consistency.”
To which Webb responded with honesty, stating: “We missed the mark on that one Ian, and I did say that publicly as well… We have to be as consistent as we can.”
This decision cost Arteta’s side two points and having lost the Premier League title by that amount last season, the officials’ decisions against Brighton could prove pivotal once again come the end of the current campaign.