Match Officials: Mic’d Up – Full VAR transcript for Anthony Gordon’s controversial goal vs Arsenal and more | Football News


This is a full transcript of the latest flashpoints covered in Match Officials: Mic’d Up, revealing what was said between officials across four key incidents.

Who is speaking?

  • REF = Referee
  • AR1 = Assistant Referee One
  • AR2 = Assistant Referee Two
  • VAR = Video Assistant Referee
  • AVAR = Assistant VAR
  • RO = Replay Operator

In full: Newcastle’s goal vs Arsenal

Anthony Gordon’s goal was allowed to stand for Newcastle after VAR checks for the ball going out of play, a possible offside against the scorer, and a possible push by Joelinton on Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes.

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Listen to the full four-minute VAR check of Anthony Gordon’s controversial goal for Newcastle against Arsenal and PGMOL chief Howard Webb discussing the process of awarding it

AR1: Staying in staying in! Still in, still in, still in!

**goal goes in**

REF: No, no, they’ll check. They’ll check.

VAR: Stu (referee Stuart Atwell), can you confirm your on-field decision please?

Who are the officials in this incident?

  • VAR: Andy Madley
  • REF: Stuart Atwell
  • AVAR: Stuart Burt
  • AR1: James West

REF: Mads (VAR Andy Madley), on-field decision is goal. The ask on the pitch is for ball out of play on the goal line.

VAR: Confirmed, Stuart. Checking on-field decision of goal.

So I’m interested in… I’d like you to go to GLT (goal-line technology). Have you got a GLT camera there?

RO: It’s not going to be in there. We can go to this one (reverse camera).

VAR: Ok yep, that’s fine.

REF: And Burty (AVAR Stuart Burt), normal contact at the challenge on the back post.

VAR: Stop it at that point, thank you, thank you.

VAR: So Stu, can you take a look at this as well before we go to check the goal? For me, I have no conclusive evidence that that ball is out.

AVAR: No, I agree. You can’t go on that angle. Although it looks out, you’ve got the curvature of the ball.

VAR: Ok go two frames forward, you can see the ball is already back in play/on the line. So that’s fine, run that through please.

AVAR: Right, now you’ve got a challenge on the back post.

VAR: Now doing a potential check on Gabriel. So have you got high behind (the goal – camera angle). I don’t see a specific foul on Gabriel. I see two hands on his back but I don’t see anything of a push that warrants him flying forward like that.

AVAR: Right Stuart there’s a potential, there is a potential for handball but it’s not the goalscorer giving the handball.

VAR: No, it’s not the goalscorer and it’s not deliberate. Right Stuart (Burt, assistant VAR) I need you to look at the screen. So I’m seeing the ball comes off Joelinton with no specific foul there. Can you just confirm that the player is onside as well when it comes off Joelinton?

Can we just confirm that is off Joelinton? And the point of contact on Joelinton?

RO: Just looking for a better angle to find the point of contact for you.

VAR: And we just need to check that he is in an onside position then as we run it through.

RO: Struggling to find a point of contact here.

VAR: Ok, ok, keep going down, roll that forward, roll that forward. Ok, so it’s going to be off Joelinton’s hip potentially.

Ok so roll that forward, are you happy that is the best point of contact that we’ve got?

AVAR: Yep, from the angles that we have available.

VAR: So check the offside now.

Ok so he’s clearly on, looking at Gabriel’s body position in there, his shoulder.

AVAR: Yeah, but you’ve got the second rearmost is the goalkeeper.

VAR: Yeah, that’s right. Yeah.

AVAR: So now, you’ve got to decide, because you’ve got… I don’t know where the ball is because the ball is being hidden from Joelinton here. So you don’t know where the ball is. And you’ve got no conclusive evidence of Gordon being ahead of the ball.

So with the reverse angle that you’ve got, you’ve not got any opportunity there of where the ball is. What that in my opinion, you have to award the goal in my opinion.

VAR: So we go check complete on the goal? So on-field decision is goal, yeah?

AVAR: Confirmed.

VAR: Stuart, it’s Mads. We’re confirming the on-field decision of goal. On-field decision of goal.

In full: Newcastle penalty vs Wolves

Newcastle were awarded a penalty at Molineux after Wolves forward Hee-Chan Hwang was deemed to have fouled Fabian Schar in the box.

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Howard Webb joins Match Officials: Mic’d Up to explain why PGMOL believes VAR got the Hee-Chan Hwang penalty wrong and describes what a ‘clear and obvious error’ is deemed to be

VAR: Clear for me, reset. Possible penalty.

AVAR: Ok, I’ve got live.

REF: That’s a penalty.

AVAR: Penalty given on-field.

Who are the officials in this incident?

  • Referee: Anthony Taylor
  • VAR: Jarred Gillett
  • AVAR: Steve Meredith

REF: He’s not kicked the ball. Didn’t kick the ball.

AVAR: On-field decision is a penalty.

REF: On-field decision is penalty. The defender kicks the man, not the ball.

VAR: OK. Tayls (referee Anthony Taylor), checking the penalty.

VAR: Right, I’m just going to need another angle. The key factor here is does the defender play the ball or not?

VAR: So the attacker plays the ball initially with the foot there. It bounces into the defender’s left leg which is not challenging, so that’s the ball just making contract with the defender’s leg. It Is just whether the right foot of Chan makes contact with the attacker there.

VAR: So it is just there. The right leg of the defender.

RO: I can give you another angle?

VAR: Another angle please, yeah. Just need to go around if we can.

RO: Yeah. Another angle as well.

RO: I’ve got another angle as well.

VAR: Yes please, another angle. That angle is not clear. So is that angle there. I am just looking to see if the right leg, whether there is any contact whatsoever with the attacker here.

AVAR: Agreed.

VAR: Just checking whether the defender makes contact with the attacker or the ball.

RO: Just going back to the original angle.

VAR: Yep, just there. So for me, the defender misses the attacker’s initial leg. There is no contact with that foot. With the attacker’s left foot.

AVAR: Agreed.

VAR: It is just whether there is contract with the attacker’s right foot, so that is what we are looking for now. Another angle?

RO: We have seen most of them. I’m just going to try one more. It’s the reverse. OK, this is not as clear.

VAR: Not as clear. So there is no contract with the right foot.

AVAR: No.

RO: OK, and this one again.

VAR: So there is minimal contact with that left leg isn’t there?

AVAR: Yeah.

VAR: Just as it follows through there.

RO: I’ll show you the high behind as well. We’ve not seen that one.

VAR: Jus there, OK. So for me, the defender hasn’t played the ball. The swinging right leg does make contact.

AVAR: Agreed.

VAR: I don’t think it’s a clear error not to award a penalty kick what the right leg swinging through. For me, Steve (AVAR), the defender doesn’t play the ball. The ball hits the defender’s leg but that’s not the playing leg.

AVAR: Yeah.

VAR: And then there is contact with the left leg of the attacker.

AVAR: Absolutely agree with that.

VAR: Confirm penalty. We will check the APP now.

AVAR: Confirm penalty, yeah.

VAR: Tayls (ref), confirming penalty. Checking the attacking phase now.

RO: So from the corner…

REF: OK, it is a penalty. They are checking offside in the build-up. It is a penalty but they are checking offside in the build-up.

VAR: So he is fine. No offside for me. No other offence in the APP.

AVAR: No penalty.

VAR: Tayls (ref), check complete. Check complete. Confirming penalty.

REF: Penalty confirmed.

In full: Jackson offside, Romero red card for Enzo tackle

Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo scores from outside the box at Tottenham but the goal is disallowed with Nicolas Jackson deemed to be offside in Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario’s eyeline.

Tottenham defender Cristian Romero was then sent off after a VAR review for a tackle on Enzo Fernandez in the build-up to the disallowed goal, resulting in a penalty to Chelsea.

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PGMOL chief Howard Webb explains why Tottenham’s Cristian Romero was shown a red card after giving a penalty away against Chelsea, citing the use of VAR was ‘excellent’ in the incident as the tackle endangered an opponent’s safety

REF: I think he’s missed him. I think he’s missed him again.

VAR: Checking possible penalty.

AVAR: There’s one on Enzo too.

Who are the officials in this incident?

  • Referee: Michael Oliver
  • AR: Stuart Burt
  • VAR: John Brooks
  • AVAR: Dan Robathan

VAR: I know, there’s two.

REF: Jackson jumps over it.

AR: Jackson jumped over it so I think offside then.

VAR: Oli, delay delay. We’re going to check the on-field decision of offside, then I’ve also got a possible penalty, so standby.

VAR: So let’s check the offside. Frame one, frame two, Frame three… Oli we’re going to have to do crosshairs because the offside position is extremely tight.

Let’s just check there is an offence. Okay the ball goes through his legs, so there is definitely an offence. We’re going to have to draw lines.

Just continue to hold in the middle, the offside is extremely close, so it’s offside there, send that to TV, but I’m also going to check a possible penalty.

Oli – I can confirm it is offside and he is impacting as the ball goes through his legs, however I am now just going to check a possible penalty before the offside offence. Just standby. I need something tight on that [the Romero tackle] to see the extent of the contact. I think that’s a foul.

AVAR: Totally agree. Any other sanction?

VAR: I think that’s reckless because he plays the ball but the follow through catches him.

AVAR: We’ve got another angle. It’s the buckle of the ankle I’m thinking.

VAR: Let’s have another look. That’s worth checking at the screen. I think that’s possible serious foul play.

AVAR: I agree.

VAR: Oli standby – we will be recommending a review. Standby. You can head over to the screen. I’m going to show you a tackle that, in my opinion, is serious foul play, and a penalty kick due to the position.

I’ll roll it through two different angles and it’s for you to judge. Obviously you can see the extent of the contact.

REF: Right, so we’re going to go penalty kick, red card Cristian Romero, restart with a penalty kick.

VAR: Confirmed, because this occurs before the offside offence, so it will be a penalty kick restart and a red card for Romero confirmed.

In full: McTominay goal vs Fulham ruled out for offside on Maguire

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Speaking on Match Officials: Mic’d Up, PGMOL chief Howard Webb explains why Harry Maguire’s goal against Fulham was ruled out for offside using the pitch-side monitor

Scott McTominay’s goal is awarded on-field for Manchester United but Harry Maguire is offside and is adjudged to be interfering with play.

REF: On-field decision, goal.

VAR: Brooksy (referee John Brooks), checking the goal.

VAR: So the ball was played by (Alejandro) Garnacho. Just roll the whole thing through.

Who are the officials in this incident?

  • REF: John Brooks
  • VAR: Jarred Gillett
  • AVAR: Sian Massey-Ellis

RO: Sure, yeah. Playing through now.

VAR: Garnacho crosses the ball back. There’s no further offside. So it’s just a possible offside on Garnacho from the kick.

RO: So on this first one here.

VAR: Frame two please.

RO: Cool, yeah. Just looking for a tighter angle now. Can zoom in on this one. Frame two? So frame one. Frame two. Frame three. So this is frame two.

VAR: Confirming.

RO: Cool.

VAR: Alright, so if you just hover the lines please. It’s possibly…possibly 19. Or possibly Tim Ream. So let’s just get the defender up on 19 first. Just using crosshairs, Brooksy. Possible offside, Garnacho.

RO: So on which body part?

VAR: Shoulder of the 19.

RO: Ok. This would be shoulder of the 19.

VAR: To the right. One to the right.

RO: Yeah.

VAR: I’m happy there. Are you comfortable he’s the second rearmost, Sian (AVAR)?

AVAR: Yeah. I agree, for me.

VAR: Lock it in there.

RO: Lock it in, yeah. That’s up on the shoulder now.

VAR: OK, that’s fine. I’m happy with one line. Can you just lock one line in?

RO: OK, sure.

VAR: I’m comfortable Garnacho is clearly onside with one line. And you can play it through for me.

AVAR: Is there any impact from 5 on the 19 as this ball comes over?

VAR: Maguire attempts to play the ball. Just got back again for me.

AVAR: Yeah, any impact on the 19’s ability to play the ball?

VAR: Just go back to the offside position for me.

RO: Offside position, yeah.

VAR: Just to check Harry Maguire.

RO: So do you want to draw offside lines again?

VAR: Yes please. Yeah. So Maguire attempts to play the ball.

AVAR: With impact on the ability… I mean we might need a high behind to check how close they are? Between the 19 and the 5.

RO: Ok, so do you want to draw on 19 still?

VAR: Yes please. Lock it in. Brooksy (referee), now just checking Harry Maguire.

RO: So happy there on the defender. And attacker?

VAR: Left shoulder.

REF: Possible impact mate, is that what you’re saying?

RO: Left shoulder.

VAR: Yes, possible impact – Harry Maguire.

VAR: So left please.

RO: Left, yeah.

VAR: Left. One to the right.

RO: One to the right.

VAR: Happy there, lock it in.

RO: OK, yeah. That’s on the shoulder.

VAR: So Harry Maguire will be in an offside position. Now we’ll just check to see the consequence of the attempt to play.

RO: Do you want to send these lines now?

VAR: Lock it in.

RO: Ok, yeah.

VAR: Roll that through.

RO: Sure. So rolling through now.

VAR: So Harry Maguire is offside. We just need another angle there. So for me, that’s attempting…

AVAR: Attempting to play with impact, for me.

VAR: Challenging an opponent for the ball and he’s offside. He doesn’t touch the ball so it’ll be a subjective decision.

AVAR: He doesn’t touch the ball but he does impact for me on the ability of the other opponent to play the ball.

VAR: It’ll be a subjective decision so we need an on-field review.

AVAR: I agree.

VAR: Challenging an opponent for the ball.

VAR: Right, Brooksy (ref). I’m going to recommend an on-field review for a subjective offside decision against Harry Maguire. Challenging an opponent for the ball.

RO: Ok, do you want to show him offside position first?

VAR: Yes please.

REF [to player]: I will talk in a minute. I will talk in a minute.

VAR: So I am going to show you the offside position first.

REF: Yeah and then I’ll talk you through what I see mate. So number five, you are comfortable he is in an offside position.

VAR: Yes, we have used the lines. Harry Maguire is clearly offside.

REF: Ok, ahead of that outstretched foot, yeah? Or his arm, yeah? So Harry Maguire’s…that’s arm…so Harry Maguire’s in an offside position, yeah. Roll it through.

VAR: Now we’ll show you the challenge for the ball.

RO: I’ll play it through once from here and then I’ll switch.

VAR: And I’ll show you another angle…I’ll show you another angle from behind.

REF: I see Harry Maguire attempt to play the ball, clearly impacting the defender behind him even though he doesn’t touch it and it’s an offside offence, even though it goes to the player behind. So offside, six-yard box.

VAR: I agree. Confirmed.

REF [to players]: Offside. Let me tell you. Harry Maguire is in an offside position, clearly, and he challenges for the ball. It’s offside. The player who scores is onside.