Reporting note: this article draws on Sky Sports; Score808 Live provides the summary and editorial framing.
Sven Botman tackle and the VAR check
Howard Webb, the chief refereeing officer, said the VAR decision not to send off Newcastle defender Sven Botman was not "clearly wrong". Referee Jarred Gillett showed a yellow card for the tackle on Nicolas Jackson. VAR Stuart Attwell checked the footage and kept the on-field call. Newcastle lost the game 1-0 to Villa.
The released audio sets out the sequence. Attwell: "I don't like that. Right, so he hits the ball; he goes over the top of the ball. He doesn't go studs into the leg, but he goes round it with a scissor challenge." He then asks the assistant VAR for a view.
Assistant VAR Craig Taylor: "I think he plays the ball and there's limited contact with the player's leg." Attwell: "It's not with the studs, is it? It goes round him." Taylor: "It's not with the studs. It's not a clear point of contact." Attwell: "There's no secondary scissor action."
The check closed with both challenges confirmed as yellow: "Jarred, confirming yellow card for Sven Botman and confirming yellow card for Joelinton. Two reckless tackles."
Howard Webb on the lighter-touch VAR approach
Webb framed the call as an application of this season's policy. "We don't want the referee's decision to be re-refereed by the VAR; we want the referee to have ownership of the decision and the VAR to only step in when there's an element that's clearly wrong."
He named the two triggers that would have changed the outcome. "If the VAR had seen strong stud contact from Botman's extended leg into the ankle or shin of Jackson, or there had been a closing of the scissor, I think we'd have probably come out with a different outcome."
He added: "Equally, if that had been a red card, for sure it would've been check complete by the VAR as well."
Webb also described the referee's reading of the moment. Gillett played advantage on Joelinton's challenge, then judged Botman's follow-up as a high-end reckless challenge with a touch on the ball. "It's a good example really of how the referee's call is working in the Premier League this season. A lighter-touch approach."
On robust tackling generally, Webb said the league wants to keep it while protecting players. "It's part of the English game, the Premier League and what people like. We want to embrace that but we also have a responsibility to ensure players' safety."
Pundits and Nicolas Jackson respond
Sky Sports pundits disagreed with the outcome. Jamie Redknapp: "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."
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher, on Ref Watch: "I think it's a red card. It's got everything for a red card tackle - it's got speed, intensity, he scissors him." Jay Bothroyd said the challenge was "more violent conduct than the headbutt" and that Botman "could have broken his leg".
Jackson, speaking after the game: "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."
Rodrigo Bentancur red card and Luke Shaw yellow
Webb backed both decisions from Tottenham's 1-1 draw at Manchester United in October. Bentancur was sent off for headbutting Shaw after the United left-back pushed him over; Shaw received a yellow card.
"When players make contact with their head, they're running a really high risk. It's seen as a violent act," Webb said. "For us not to send off for contact into the face or head, it has to be deemed negligible and in this case it's not."
He separated the two contacts by location. "You could argue the push by Shaw is also forceful but it's in the chest. You don't often see players sent off for pushes to the chest." He called the pair "absolutely the right outcome".
Tackles Webb did not address
Two other incidents were not analysed on Tuesday's edition. Morgan Rogers escaped a red card in a similar incident during Chelsea's 2-0 win at Everton, before team-mate Cole Palmer avoided a second yellow card for a late challenge.
Mike Dean said on Soccer Saturday that Rogers deserved at least a yellow, which would have sent him off after an earlier booking. Bothroyd and Tim Sherwood said on Ref Watch it should have been a straight red card.
Match Officials Mic'd Up airs at 6pm on Sky Sports News.
The original report is from skysports.com.
