Howard Webb shares how Arsenal handball goal ‘would have stood’ v Aston Villa

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Arsenal would have scored an equaliser at Aston Villa on Saturday had Eddie Nketiah put the ball in the net rather than Kai Havertz.

That is according to Howard Webb as the PGMOL chief operating officer spoke to the official Premier League website.

Arsenal lost 1-0 at Aston Villa on Saturday evening with John McGinn scoring the only goal of the game.

The Gunners pushed and pushed for a leveller but couldn’t find one, even having a goal controversially ruled out.

Kai Havertz had the ball in the net late on but the goal was ruled out was handball, leaving Arsenal devastated.

Howard Webb comments on Kai Havertz disallowed goal in Arsenal defeat

Arsenal fans were gutted because the ball also appeared to strike the hand of Aston Villa defender Matty Cash on the line.

Havertz handling the ball was a complete accident but PGMOL chief operating officer Howard Webb has offered some insight.

Webb has told the official Premier League website that the rules are different for attackers and defenders.

Webb highlighted that for Cash to be penalised for handball, he would have to have made himself ‘unnaturally bigger’ for handball to be given there.

The former Premier League referee also added that Arsenal’s goal actually would have stood if Eddie Nketiah had put the ball in the net.

Nketiah was right there with Havertz as the ball dropped, but the German was the one to put it in the net.

Because Havertz scored directly from the ball striking his hand, the goal was ruled out, but Arsenal would have had a leveller if Nketiah scored.

“Interestingly, if it had been Nketiah who had scored the goal, it would have stood, because it only relates to the goalscorer – in this case, Havertz, who made contact with the arm. It didn’t hit Nketiah’s arm – if he pokes it in, it’s a goal, because everything before that was all accidental,” said Webb.

That is something which wasn’t picked up on at the time and maybe it’s simply a case of players not being all that aware of the intricacies of the handball rules.

Webb’s comments will be of interest to Arsenal and no doubt other players too, as it could shape future goals.

In a split-second moment like the Havertz goal, it would have been difficult for him to have stepped aside for Nketiah to score.

Still, we could see players try to take advantage of that rule moving forward, with goals still possible from accidental handball in attacking situations.