Controversial VAR Decision: PGMOL Chief Admits Error in Fulham's Disallowed Goal

The head of Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), Howard Webb, has acknowledged that a contentious Video Assistant Referee (VAR) decision during Fulham's defeat by Chelsea was a "misjudgement." The incident occurred when Fulham's Josh King had his goal disallowed following a VAR review.

In the 22nd minute of the match, King scored, but the goal was invalidated after a lengthy VAR intervention. The review identified a foul by Rodrigo Muniz, who had stepped on the foot of Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah during the build-up to the goal. This decision left Fulham manager Marco Silva furious, calling it "unbelievable."

Chelsea ultimately secured a 2-0 victory with goals from Joao Pedro and Enzo Fernandez, the latter coming from a penalty that was also the result of a disputed VAR call. The series of contentious decisions led to Michael Salisbury being removed from officiating the subsequent match between Liverpool and Arsenal.

Webb, appearing on the television program "Match Officials Mic'd Up," which reviews VAR decisions, admitted the error. He stated that officials should only overturn goals when the evidence is "very clear," and that the guidance provided to referees emphasizes maintaining the flow and rhythm of the game.

"We've established some principles in terms of how we officiate in the Premier League and how we use VAR," Webb explained. "They sit around a high threshold for penalising contact, aiding the flow, rhythm and tempo of the game. We've also established a high bar for intervention with VAR."

He continued, "In this situation, that guidance wasn't followed properly. There was a misjudgement by the officials involved in this situation about how that contact happened between Muniz and Chalobah." Webb noted that the officials were overly focused on the specific contact without considering the full context of the play.

This incident marks the second consecutive Premier League home game where Chelsea has benefited from a VAR intervention. Previously, Eberechi Eze's free-kick in a 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace was disallowed due to wall interference.

Burnley manager Scott Parker recently expressed concern that excessive VAR interventions could make football "the most sterile game there is." However, Webb defended VAR's use, highlighting that the Premier League has seen fewer interventions compared to other major European leagues over the past 18 months.

"We understand the importance of these decisions," Webb said. "We understand that if we get it wrong, like we did on this occasion, the impact is significant. We're always striving to do better."