Amidst the ongoing debate about refereeing decisions sparked by Tottenham’s victory over Liverpool, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) may find some relief that a significant decision did not alter the outcome of Arsenal’s clash with Manchester City.
If not for Gabriel Martinelli’s late strike deflected cruelly off Nathan Ake, Mateo Kovacic would have been the focal point of discussions following Arsenal’s intense battle against Manchester City on Sunday.
The match witnessed minimal action, with both managers missing key players and seemingly content with a point.
City barely threatened David Raya’s goal after an early set-piece opportunity, and although Martinelli’s introduction boosted the hosts, Ederson was hardly tested before being caught off guard for the decisive goal.
However, had Arsenal not secured all three points, fans would have voiced louder complaints, particularly regarding Kovacic’s escape from a red card in the first half.
In the minutes leading up to halftime, Kovacic could have received two red cards. His initial challenge on Martin Odegaard was reckless, catching the Arsenal captain above the ankle. While a yellow card was swiftly shown, VAR checked for a potential red card due to the severity of the challenge.
VAR did not overturn the on-field ruling, deeming Kovacic’s foul not dangerous enough to warrant a red card.
The more contentious incident occurred just six minutes later when Kovacic needlessly challenged another Arsenal midfielder, Declan Rice, catching him late and catching Rice’s ankle.
Despite widespread belief that Kovacic deserved a second yellow card, the referee ignored Arsenal’s pleas.
Critics argued that Kovacic was very fortunate to escape harsher punishment, with veteran Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher suggesting the combination of challenges warranted a red card.
In the VAR era, the technology has only been able to draw the referee’s attention to a potential red card, not a possible second yellow. Kovacic’s challenge on Rice, though late and sloppy, did not meet the criteria for a straight red card.
