Arsenal and their manager Mikel Arteta erupted into a rage after the referee judged that Leandro Trossard’s goal against Leicester should not have counted.
The goal was scored by the Belgian striker, Trossard, from the edge of the penalty area after the home team failed to clear a corner kick.
Although the goalie did end up playing a part in the situation, it wasn’t until after the referee, Craig Pawson, had gone over to the monitor to hear from the VAR official, Michael Salisbury, that the goalkeeper was actually called into action.
After further investigation, it was discovered that Ben White had been holding onto the keeper’s arm while the corner was being taken, which caused the Welshman to fall to the ground.
It did not take very long at all to come to a decision; all that was required was a quick check of the monitor. This was a choice that left Arteta and the other people under his responsibility furious.
Pundit Danny Gabbidon expressed his agreement with the judgment. He said, “I believe there should be a foul called because Ben White is getting in the way of the goalkeeper. He is making an attempt to be crafty, but it is not nearly as crafty as he thinks it is when the VAR can examine it”.
“I’d hate to be a player with VAR and how it looks into every detail, but I think they’ve got it right,” the player said.
When a goal scored by Brentford’s Ivan Toney was allowed to stand in a match at the Emirates Stadium earlier this month, the Gunners were on the receiving end of one of the most controversial VAR calls this season. This decision was later proven to be incorrect as VAR Lee Mason ‘forgot’ to draw the offside line in the correct position in a moment that the PGMOL, the refereeing body, put down to “human error.”
The next week, Mason was relieved of his duties as a VAR after being dismissed from the position. After the event, Arteta was quoted as saying, “We terminated the game with a big rage and dissatisfaction after analyzing it with the proof and photographs.”
“Because there wasn’t a mistake made by a person there. That was a significant, significant, significant failure on your part to conceive of and comprehend your work. I’m sorry, but that’s not going to cut it. That ultimately resulted in a loss of two points for Arsenal, which is not going to be made up.”