Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg said Arsenal defender David Luiz should have been sent off in the fifth minute of the game against Sheffield United on Sunday, while writing in his Daily Mail column.
The Gunners picked up a win thanks to goals from Bukayo Saka and Nicolas Pepe in the second half – but things could have been very different.
A lapse in concentration from David Luiz in the opening minutes of the game saw him lose the ball to Oliver Burke, who would have been through on goal. However, the Brazilian pulled him back for a second before letting him go, which allowed Bernd Leno to clear the ball.
The referee, Lee Mason, saw nothing wrong, while VAR official Andre Marriner backed his on-field colleague’s decision.
Clattenburg thinks Luiz deserved red
Clattenburg, in his column headlined ‘another VAR blunder’, claimed Luiz should have been shown the red card, which would have had a massive effect on the game.
He wrote: “Arsenal should have been down to ten men from the fifth minute and I’m amazed VAR (official) Andre Marriner did not recommend to referee Lee Mason that David Luiz is shown red. At the very least, Mason should have been advised to consult his pitch-side monitor.
“Oliver Burke looks to escape David Luiz, who is the last man and tugs on his shirt. Arsenal’s goalkeeper comes out to clear but Burke would have got to the ball had he not been held back. With no covering defenders, Luiz should have gone.”
Wilder unhappy with decision too
Clattenburg’s assessment follows post-match comments by Blades boss Chris Wilder in which he urged referees to show more courage while questioning whether VAR was being implemented in the right way.
He told Goal: “The referee has got to show courage. There are five officials now, I see it and all our staff and subs see it and five people don’t. He’s pulled his shirt. I’m not clutching at straws or grasping, Oli’s shirt has clearly moved.
“All the stuff with VAR was supposed to be about making the right decision, is it the right decision? He pulls his shirt when going through and the decision has got to be made.”
If Luiz had been sent off, Arsenal would have had to play almost the entire game with ten men, which would have been a daunting task after two demanding games at Anfield.
The win for Arsenal means Sheffield United are still without a point in the league this season. Four losses in four games is a terrible record and Wilder will hope things change when the Premier League returns in two weeks.
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