Howard Webb: VAR made Everton vs Man Utd error – but decision to overturn penalty was right

Telegraph

11-03-2025

Referees' chief Howard Webb has admitted officials made a mistake in not showing the correct replays of Everton's controversially overturned penalty in their 2-2 draw with Manchester United, yet insisted the correct decision was made.
Everton players were left incensed after a foul on Ashley Young was overturned following a VAR review, which recommended referee Andy Madley overturn his decision to award them an injury-time penalty in last month's draw at Goodison Park.
Webb has since conceded that Madley was not shown the correct angles of the incident as he did not get a clear look at the shirt pull committed by United defender Matthijs de Ligt, only angles that focused on his team-mate Harry Maguire, who had originally been penalised for the foul.
Yet despite widespread opinion that De Ligt had committed a foul on Young – including former referee Dermot Gallagher claiming the Dutch international 'has got hold of his shirt for long enough to give the penalty' – Webb has insisted Everton should not have been awarded a penalty.
'When checking the sequence, the VAR and the AVAR, you'll see them looking at this wide angle to give the view on Maguire. You'll hear the AVAR talk about De Ligt and asking a question. Does De Ligt commit an offence or not,' said Webb, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited technical director, to Michael Owen on Match Officials Mic'd Up.
'So they're aware of De Ligt having potentially done something. They form the opinion that Maguire is not committing an offence, but then they go on to ask the referee at the screen to consider the actions of De Ligt. But I absolutely acknowledge and accept the angles that are presented to the referee at that point don't show clearly enough what De Ligt does. Not penalise on the field, of course, but they want to show it.
'But they need to show him some of these angles earlier when he gets to the screen, instead of staying on the wide angle, which doesn't really show as clearly as is, needs to be shown De Ligt's actions.
'I'm not saying De Ligt's actions are a foul. They need to show this angle to be able to make that determination at the screen. And of course these angles were shown on broadcast. So the world is seeing these, and I guess that's where some of the criticism came from in terms of how this process played out.'
Fresh footage of the discussion revealed that the VAR Matt Donohue recommended a closer look at De Ligt, highlighting: 'Before you leave the screen, just consider the actions of De Ligt as well. Again, I don't believe there to be a foul there but I'd like you to consider them for your viewing.'
However, Madley was not shown a crucial angle from behind the goal that clearly displayed De Ligt twice pulling at Young's shirt as he ran towards the ball before the VAR review was completed.
Webb: 'Not all contacts are a foul'
Despite this admission, Webb doubled down that Everton should not have received a penalty.
'We've spoken during pre-season and during the season many times on this show about not all contacts are a foul. Just because you have a small tug it doesn't necessarily mean it's something you're going to penalise,' Webb added.
'We're trying to look for impact of that action and the way that Young falls forward. He spreads his legs. He kind of like throws himself forward somewhat in my opinion and it isn't commensurate with the amount of hold that you see from De Ligt.
'So we don't think this meets the threshold of a penalty in its own right. And that was certainly the view of the referee when he went to the screen and was shown momentarily the view from the angle behind the goal.
'But I accept that we should have shown not only that angle, but this angle that we can see here as well, so that he's able to make that full evaluation. And people at home watching this can see that he's had a full view of everything coming to the decision. I'm pretty certain he would come to the same decision anyway, but at least people would know that he's seen the full information.'