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BREAKING: William Saliba has officially been cleared to play against Liverpool after a decision made this morning following intervention from the FA

Jamie Carragher expressed his concerns on social media regarding Howard Webb’s potential involvement in the decision-making for William Saliba’s red card during Arsenal’s match against Bournemouth.

Saliba, a French defender, initially received a yellow card from referee Rob Jones in the first half for a foul on Evanilson. However, after a VAR review, this was changed to a red card.

As a result, Saliba will miss an important upcoming match against Liverpool. Carragher raised questions about Webb’s role, especially after seeing him on his phone in the stands during the game. In a now-deleted post on X, Carragher asked, “Was Howard Webb involved in the decision-making for Saliba’s red card?”

The incident provoked a strong reaction from Arsenal fans, who chanted “F*** Howard Webb” after Saliba’s dismissal, which occurred while the match was still scoreless at halftime.

Saliba’s suspension adds to the challenges for Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who is already without captain Martin Ødegaard due to injury. While Ødegaard may return for the Liverpool match, his absence is a setback. Additionally, Bukayo Saka is also unavailable due to an injury sustained during international duty.

In response to the situation, the Premier League issued a statement explaining the decision to upgrade Saliba’s yellow card to a red, stating that his foul was seen as denying an obvious goal-scoring chance. The statement clarified that the referee initially issued a yellow card, but VAR recommended an on-field review, leading to the upgrade.

Arsenal has faced several contentious refereeing decisions this season, including multiple red cards. Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard both received second yellow cards for delaying play, with Trossard’s red card occurring in a crucial match against Manchester City last month.

These events reflect the mounting frustration among Arsenal fans regarding officiating in the Premier League, particularly concerning decisions that affect the team’s performance and squad depth. As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see how these challenges influence Arsenal’s aspirations in both league and cup competitions.

 

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