Howard Webb, the chief of Premier League referees, supports the decision not to involve VAR after Diogo Dalot’s tackle on Jeremy Doku in Manchester United’s 2-0 win over Manchester City on Saturday.
Dalot received a yellow card in the 11th minute at Old Trafford for making contact with Doku’s knee during the challenge, a decision that VAR official Craig Pawson upheld alongside on-field referee Anthony Taylor.
The ruling ignited discussions about whether it warranted a red card, with former Premier League referees Dermot Gallagher and Mike Dean both advocating for Dalot’s dismissal.
Nevertheless, Webb argues that the challenge appears more severe when viewed in slow motion, asserting that Dalot only made light contact with Doku’s knee.
Reflecting on the incident, Webb stated during Match Officials Mic’d Up: “Is there excessive force? Some might say yes, but I’m not entirely convinced. I can appreciate that perspective, but it’s a subjective judgment. However, I’m fully in agreement that once the on-field decision is made, we respect that referee’s call and refrain from VAR intervention.”
“I believe this is a situation where the referee’s decision should be upheld. We’ve established that in instances of mixed considerations, we will respect the on-field judgment.”
“In real-time at full speed, it’s evident that the tackle lacks significant force or intensity. We faced criticism in the past for relying too heavily on slow-motion replays, as many felt it misrepresents the actual dynamics of the game.”
“When played in slow motion, incidents can seem far worse than they are — and they often do. Also, using freeze frames can portray many situations as worthy of a red card. While one could consider a red card possible, it’s vital to assess the incident at full speed.”
“We’ve made a point to focus on this for some time now and acknowledged criticisms that we should avoid relying on slow-motion as our primary method for assessing such scenarios. We’ve adapted our approach to include full-speed analysis followed by a slight slowdown to examine the point of contact carefully.”
“However, in the absence of speed, force, and intensity, a red card is unlikely.”