Howard Webb Stands Firm on VAR Call: Botman's Tackle Wasn't a Red

In the wake of intense scrutiny over Sven Botman's tackle on Aston Villa's Nicolas Jackson, refereeing chief Howard Webb has come out to say there was nothing "clearly wrong" with the decision to only issue a yellow card. The incident occurred during Newcastle's 1-0 loss to Villa, leaving pundits and fans buzzing with debate. Sky Sports analysts didn't hold back, criticizing referee Jarred Gillett for his choice, and VAR Stuart Attwell for upholding it. Jamie Redknapp expressed his concern, stating, "If VAR can't see that's a red, we're in trouble. It is so dangerous. How he's not broken his leg there... I like to see aggression. I want to see 50/50 tackles, but you can't do that anymore." Jackson himself weighed in after the match, saying, "The referee said it was a yellow card, but it was so high. Hopefully next time it is a red card. I nearly broke my leg, but it's fine. It's part of football." Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher joined the chorus, insisting that it was indeed a red card tackle due to its speed and intensity. Despite the uproar, Webb defended the VAR system, suggesting it reflects an ongoing trend this season where officials are encouraged not to re-referee decisions made on the pitch. He explained on Sky Sports' Match Officials Mic'd Up, "We've seen quite a lot of robust tackling in the Premier League. This weekend we saw quite a few examples of strong tackles going in; it's part of the English game. We want to embrace that but also ensure players' safety." Webb elaborated that many tackles can be subjective and that the referee must assess the force and nature of each challenge in real-time. In Botman's case, the referee deemed it a high-end reckless challenge but noted that he made contact with the ball. The VAR review, according to Webb, focuses on whether the referee's decision was clearly incorrect. He stated, "We want the referee to have ownership of the decision, and the VAR should only step in when there's something clearly wrong. If the VAR had seen strong stud contact or a closing scissor action, we'd have likely seen a different outcome." In a separate incident, Webb also commented on Rodrigo Bentancur's red card for headbutting Luke Shaw during Tottenham's 1-1 draw with Manchester United, calling it the right decision. "When players make contact with their head, they're running a really high risk. It's seen as a violent act," he noted. Webb made it clear that head contact is treated differently under the rules, distinguishing it from other types of contact. He concluded that while Shaw's push was forceful, it did not warrant a red, but Bentancur's retaliation was a different matter entirely.