Howard Webb responds after ‘clear and obvious error’ made amid Leeds United drama
Howard Webb has clarified the situation after Anthony Taylor made a clear mistake in Leeds United’s draw with Liverpool.
Leeds fought back twice to draw 3-3 with Liverpool at Elland Road on 6 December, just days after beating Chelsea during a run of results that looks to have saved Daniel Farke’s job as Whites boss.
The hosts were 2-0 down thanks to a Hugo Ekitike double before Willy Gnonto was felled in the area by a sliding Ibrahima Konate.
Taylor waved away the appeals and claimed the ball had already gone out of play but after a VAR review the video assistant John Brooks sent him to the screen to ultimately overturn his decision.
Michael Owen surprised Willy Gnonto penalty call overturned
Konate had slid in and brought Gnonto down on the left side as the area as the Leeds forward was nearing the byline, and former England striker Michael Owen didn’t expect VAR to get involved.
But on Match Officials Mic’d Up this week the audio between Taylor and Brooks was played, with PGMOL head Webb emphasising the fact that the referee’s “clear and obvious” error was to believe the ball had gone out of play when it hadn’t, therefore allowing Brooks to step in.
Owen said: “I thought that was a penalty but I was reasonably surprised that it went to VAR… I didn’t think this was an absolute howler and I just thought they would leave this with referee’s call.”
Webb replied: “For me it’s a clear penalty. What’s really important here is that when the contact is made by Konate on Gnonto, Konate doesn’t play the ball, he makes the contact, he takes Gnonto down, but really important on this is the ball is still in play at that moment.
“You’ll hear on the comms Anthony Taylor saying ‘the ball’s already out of play’. That’s important, of course, because if the ball is out of play when that contact happens it can’t be a penalty kick.
“So VAR looks at it, is able to slow it right down, break it down to see: When does the contact happen? How does that relate to where the ball was at that time?
“It was still in play. It’s a clear foul. Therefore the intervention by the VAR in this situation is a good one. Demonstrates the value of having VAR to rectify what was a clear and obvious error made on the field.”
Farke must finish super December strongly amid sack danger
Daniel Farke’s job appeared to be doomed as he approached a daunting trip to the Etihad to finish a November filled with defeats, but Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s introduction off the bench at Man City has sparked a revival.
The striker scored and won a penalty in the second 45 in Manchester to secure his place in the line-up, which has since translated into a superb December for player and club, as Leeds are now unbeaten in three, with the Englishman scoring in every one.
Farke’s job appears as safe as it has been for some time in the current context, but he is still in the most precarious stage of the season when it comes to the sack.
The January transfer window is going to be crucial if the 49ers are to decide on a change in the dug-out so the German must make it impossible for them to get rid of him while the market is still available to a replacement.
Crystal Palace at Elland Road on Saturday is an opportunity to secure another strong result against a side in the European places, while the visit to Sunderland to round out 2025 is a huge clash with a promoted rival either way, but also a chance for Farke to strike a blow against Regis Le Bris for making him look so bad in the early running this season.
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