Jared Gillett overturned his decision to award Arsenal a penalty (Image: Getty Images)
The Premier League has released behind the scenes audio of Arsenal’s controversial decision to overturn a penalty against Newcastle. During the opening period of Sunday’s clash, when the gunners saw a 2-1 victory thanks to a dramatic delayed strike from Gabriel Magalges, Viktor Gyoker took contact with Newcastle’s shot stopper Nick Pope to point the spot, leading the official Jarred Gillett.
Nevertheless, Darren England, a video assistant run from PGMOL base in Stockley Park, advised that Gillett should check the original phone. Gillett then looked into the pitch-side monitor and overturned his initial decision to award Arsenal a penalty, leaving behind Mikel Arteta’s fumes.
Arteta and Gunners captain Buka Yosaka expressed dissatisfaction with the verdict following the final whistle as Newcastle gained a 1-0 advantage shortly after Guillett’s reversal. Despite this blow, Arsenal was able to bounce back and claim all three points, but the controversy continued to dominate the post-match debate.
This issue was discussed in the latest article in Match Official, starring Howard Webb. As a PGMOL chief examiner and former Premier League officer, Webb offers supporters a glimpse into the decision-making process, especially the process that sparks the biggest debate.
This is a transcription of what was said in the 14th minute…
Gillett: “The decision on the field is a penalty. A trip by Nick Pope and Nick Pope.”
England: “OK, check the decision on the field of penalty.”
UK: “Did you have a better angle?”
Replay Operator: “Yeah, there’s a better angle from behind here.”
England: “Does he touch the ball, the goalkeeper? I think he touches the ball. Nick Pope comes into contact with the ball here.”
Assistant var (Steven Meredith): “Yes, he’s, yeah.”
England: “What about him? Once again. He actually gets into the ball, right?”
Meredith: “Yeah, there’s a secondary touch.”
England: “Give me a different angle. Make sure the Pope touches the ball.”
Replay Operator: “There’s SSM (Super Slow Motion), but it’s from the other side.”
England: “He touches the ball, right? He touches the ball first, then contacts it. So it’s not a penalty kick. He touches the ball there.”
Replay Operator: “This is the best angle.”
Meredith: “Do you have a view from behind?”
Replay Operator: “Yeah, this is the best angle I have.”
England: “Would he do that? He wouldn’t touch it? He’s touching it.
Viktor Gyoker saw the penalty overturned (Image: Getty)
Meredith: “It’s definitely played by the defenders. But check it out anyway.”
England: “Jarred, I recommend field-on-review because there is no chance of a penalty. Please tell me you have a monitor. I’ll check the app too. Nick Pope will contact the ball.”
Playback Operator: “I’ll go slowly so I can check the app.”
England said: “Yeah, his defender, his clear defender, he’s always a clear defender. That’s fine. The app is checked too. The app is also clear.
He continued: “Nick Pope touches his right leg, I give you another angle to the touch.”
Gillett stepped in: “Please show me a better angle to see him touch the ball.”
England replied: “I will do it, I will show you a better angle.”
The replay operator asked, “Do you want SSM from the other side?”
England replied: “Yeah, yeah, it’s so slow. So late, I’ll come in now. Touch the ball there. And plant his feet with normal action.”
Gillett said: “The attacker will play the ball first. I don’t know if the goalkeeper will actually play the ball.”
England said, “The attacker will bounce the ball. Yeah, the attacker will bounce the ball and the goalkeeper will play the ball with his right foot.”
Gillett requested, “Play at full speed.”
England explained: “The goalkeeper will bounce his foot, so contact from there and then the contact information is normal.”
Gillett repeated: “Can you play it at full speed?”
England confirmed that they will “play at normal speed for you.”
Gillett analyzed: “So I’m watching the goalkeeper grabbed the toe to the ball first.
England agreed: “Agreed.”
Gillett concluded: “After the review, the goalkeeper plays the ball and there is no foul. Final decision, drop the ball.”
England asserted: “Confirmed.”
Webb agreed to the officials’ verdict, saying, “The judge had not realised that touch, it was important and that it was considered a clear error. As he agreed to the VAR intervention, the judge saw the full sequence, saw the touch, saw the normal acting was correct,
