The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) might have breathed a sigh of relief knowing that a crucial decision during Tottenham’s win over Liverpool last week didn’t impact the outcome of Arsenal’s match against Manchester City on Sunday, amidst ongoing controversy surrounding refereeing decisions.
If Gabriel Martinelli hadn’t scored in the final moments of Arsenal’s game against Manchester City due to a deflection off Nathan Ake, Mateo Kovacic would have been the center of attention.
Sunday’s match saw little action, with both managers missing key players and seemingly content with a draw. Ederson wasn’t seriously tested before being caught off guard for the winning goal, and despite Martinelli’s impactful substitution at halftime, City had few opportunities to equalize after David Raya’s early free-kick almost gave Arsenal the lead.
Kovacic narrowly avoided a red card in the first half, which would have sparked further outcry from Arsenal fans had the Gunners not secured all three points.
The Croatian midfielder had a tumultuous few minutes before halftime where he flirted with dismissal twice.
Kovacic made a reckless challenge on Martin Odegaard initially, catching him with his studs raised as the Arsenal captain received a pass from William Saliba.
Although Michael Oliver swiftly issued a yellow card, VAR reviewed the incident for a potential red card due to the severity of the tackle. However, Oliver’s decision stood as Kovacic’s foul was deemed not dangerous enough to warrant a change.
Many believed the tackle merited an “orange card,” a middle ground between a booking and a red card. Oliver’s straight red card would have prevented VAR from intervening.
Just six minutes later, Kovacic made another reckless challenge on an Arsenal midfielder, resulting in a more serious offense.
This time, he caught Declan Rice late, prompting concern from Sky Sports co-commentator Gary Neville, who exclaimed, “Oh no,” as Kovacic lunged in without making contact with the ball and caught Rice’s ankle.
Although Oliver seemed to have missed the foul, it appeared clear-cut, yet the referee chose to ignore Arsenal’s appeals for Kovacic’s dismissal.
“He’s very, very fortunate!” Neville remarked as Kovacic made contact with Rice’s ankle. “He should be off,” Neville commented during the broadcast.
Senior Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher echoed the sentiment, stating that Kovacic should have been sent off for the combination of his challenges.
Oliver’s decision not to give Kovacic a second yellow card rendered VAR powerless, as it was determined that Oliver hadn’t made a clear and obvious error in his assessment of the tackle on Odegaard, which resulted in a yellow card.
Introduced to the Premier League, VAR can only alert the referee to a potential red card. It’s not within VAR’s remit to decide whether to issue a second yellow card.
While Kovacic’s challenge on Rice was late and careless, it didn’t warrant a straight red card.
