Premier League referee Chris Kavanagh admitted he was “not happy” showing Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice a red card for kicking the ball during the draw against Brighton last month, but had no choice.
Audio of the incident was released on Tuesday in the first episode of the Premier League's “Match Officials Mic'd Up”, in which former referee Howard Webb joined ex-England striker Michael Owen to discuss five on-field decisions.
In it, Kavanagh can be heard speaking to his assistants through his microphone and saying: “I don't like it, but he hit the ball.”
Rice, who had already been booked, took the ball from Joel Veltman to delay the free-kick. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said afterwards that he was “surprised” that the England midfielder had been shown a second yellow card.
Kavanagh was clearly uncomfortable with the decision he had to make, but said he was put in a difficult position.
“Second yellow card for me. I had no other option, he kicked the ball out. [Veltman’s] “As I was about to kick it, it hit the ball,” he was heard saying. “I have no choice. It's put me in a terrible situation. Dec, I'm afraid you have to go.”
The Premier League hopes the programme will help fans understand the processes involved in decision-making by on-field officials and VAR, following intense criticism last season.
Webb, who is director of operations for refereeing body PGMOL, agreed that Kavanagh was right to send Rice off.
“We have made it clear and firm to players throughout pre-season the importance of not getting involved with the ball once the whistle has been blown, and not delaying the restart in that way,” Webb said.
“Once he saw Declan Rice deliberately and clearly kick the ball away from the free-kick position, then I don't think he had any other choice.”
Arteta was also annoyed that Brighton striker Joao Pedro escaped a yellow card for delaying the restart in the first half, with Webb admitting he should have been booked.
“Of course he [Pedro] “He should have been booked here,” Webb admitted. “The on-field officials gave him too much benefit of the doubt, feeling that the actions weren't really shocking because they felt the Arsenal players weren't ready to take that throw-in.”
Among other disputed incidents was a penalty awarded to Everton's Dominic Calvert-Lewin against Brighton by referee Simon Hooper, but overturned after VAR invited the referee to review the incident.
Footage shows Calvert-Lewin had actually stepped on Brighton defender Lewis Dunk's foot, not the other way around.
“Sometimes the referee's decision will be clearly and obviously wrong and in this case it was,” Webb said.
“This is a good example of a situation where the referee's decision was incorrect and VAR intervention was necessary.”
Webb has admitted that VAR's Tim Robinson was wrong to rule out Dango Ouattara's injury-time winner for AFC Bournemouth against Newcastle United for handling the ball.
“In this situation, the ball hit Ouattara's shoulder and upper arm,” Webb said. “It's difficult to be totally sure where exactly. I don't think that's conclusive enough to intervene.”
Information from ESPN's Dale Johnson contributed to this report.
