In a match fraught with controversy, Arsenal’s encounter with Manchester City brought the issue of VAR and refereeing decisions back to the forefront of the footballing world, not that it ever really went away.
While the spotlight was on Mateo Kovacic for his contentious tackles on Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice, the game served as another example of the inconsistencies surrounding the application of VAR in the Premier League.
Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, expressed his frustration on the sidelines over the situation, while many questioned the efficacy and fairness of VAR in the sport. Again.
In the latest Premier League match at the Emirates, Mateo Kovacic found himself at the centre of controversy for a pair of challenges that many deemed worthy of red cards.
Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard was the first to be on the receiving end of a tackle that roused an uproar in the stadium and on social media.
A VAR review of the incident, overseen by John Brooks, resulted in a yellow card for the Manchester City midfielder. However, the decision to allow him to stay on the pitch was met with astonishment from fans and pundits alike.
Gary Neville said on the matter that Mateo Kovacic was ‘very lucky’ to avoid a red card for his challenge on Martin Odegaard.
“He’s in trouble,” Neville said on Sky Sports at the time of the incident. “Oh, no. I think he’s lucky. I think he’s very lucky.”
Neville compared this incident with that of Liverpool’s Curtis Jones, who was sent off the previous week after a VAR review showed him making contact with Tottenham’s Yves Bissouma.
Unlike Kovacic, Jones had to face a three-match suspension after the FA turned down an appeal from Liverpool.
Moments after the contentious tackle on Odegaard, Kovacic was again in the spotlight for a similar challenge on Declan Rice.
This time, referee Michael Oliver opted not to show a second yellow card.
Gary Neville was explicit about his thoughts, stating, “I think he gets Declan Rice’s right foot. He does. What is he doing? I think he should be off. It’s madness from Kovacic. Pep Guardiola must be thinking about making a substitution. The first one was close. That one was just crazy.
“[It’s] a mistake [from the referee]. I think Kovacic has got to go for that. I’m amazed he’s not.”
While many experts weighed in on the situation, former Arsenal player Theo Walcott said, “As soon as it went to VAR, I thought, and I’ve seen it slowed down, red card straight away. It’s a nasty tackle. You can see the way he gets really low on the ankle.
“For me, it’s a red card. I don’t think there’s any question. That’s not me putting my Arsenal head on, I genuinely think that’s endangering the player.”
On the other hand, Micah Richards believed that a yellow card was the correct decision for the tackle on Odegaard, although he thought Kovacic’s later challenge on Rice deserved a second yellow.
On the sidelines, Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta, displayed palpable frustration at the refereeing decisions, which many consider inconsistent, particularly when compared to other recent incidents involving VAR and red cards.
Asked about it after the game, however, he was less bothered, mostly because Arsenal had won.