By Charlotte Cohen

11th Oct, 2023 | 10:21am

Howard Webb: Mateo Kovacic should have been sent off against Arsenal - and this is why Malo Gusto saw red instead

PGMOL chief Howard Webb has explained why Malo Gusto sent off for Chelsea but Mateo Kovacic only shown a yellow card for Man City.

Speaking on Sky Sports’ Match Officials Mic’d Up show, Webb explained that there were slight differences between the challenges in the weekend matches that enabled Kovacic to escape with just a booking while Gusto was given his marching orders.

As shown on the programme (10 October), Gusto was originally booked for his challenge on Aston Villa’s Lucas Digne before the VAR official recommended an on-field review.

Webb stresses that the key point in upgrading the Chelsea players’ booking was the way in which Digne’s ankle buckled under the challenge, he said: “I think that is a clear red card.

“I think the point of contact, the mode of contact, the full studs with the upturned foot above the ankle and that real significant buckle of the ankle suggests that player safety has been endangered through excessive for challenge.

“I expected that one to be intervened up by the VAR and I think the red card outcome is correct.”

Fans were left confused when City’s Mateo Kovacic wasn’t sent off in their game against Arsenal for an almost identical challenge on Martin Odegaard.

But Webb explained that whilst challenges can look similar, there can be slight differences that make it less dangerous.

Nevertheless, the ref’s chief admitted that Kovacic should have been sent off against Arsenal.

“We want to be as consistent as possible as we can be but all situations vary slightly and we understand this,” Webb said of Kovacic’s challenge on Odegaard.

“Second yellows are something that VAR is not able to get involved in, but I think he was extremely fortunate to stay on the field of play.

“This is clearly a poor tackle and I am pretty confident that if a red card had been given by Michael Oliver on the day it would have been a very straightforward check complete. But I think there is a few differences.

“Kovacic comes into the tackle with the right leg and puts some weight on the left. The right heel hits the ground and the contact is more to the side rather than an upright foot that we saw with Gusto.

“A few small differences that led to the VAR thinking that the onfield yellow card was not obviously incorrect.“

In other news, Chelsea set to open midfielder talks as Pochettino makes up his mind.