PGMO’s Howard Webb explains the decision-making process for the incident between Pablo and Raya
PGMO and the Premier League are opening up discussions between the referee and the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) for key incidents this season. In the latest instalment of “Match Officials Mic’d Up” for 2025/26, Howard Webb, chief operating officer at PGMO, explains recent decisions.
Webb and former Premier League striker Michael Owen go through the conversations between the match officials to give fans greater knowledge of how decisions are made. The officials on the pitch do not hear all the conversations from the VAR hub in Stockley Park.
In Episode 8 of “Match Officials Mic’d Up”, Webb and Owen go through the fouls and misconduct law and discuss why West Ham United’s goal against Arsenal was ruled out, due to a foul by Pablo on Gunners goalkeeper David Raya in the build-up.
Webb and Owen discuss key incidents in a video which UK viewers can watch on Sky Sports, TNT Sports and Sky Sports News.
Watch Webb and Owen discuss the Raya and Pablo incident
Here, Chief Refereeing Officer Webb explains why West Ham’s goal was ruled out for a foul on Raya.
Howard Webb: “Is it a foul on the goalkeeper? Categorically, yes. We’ve said all season, including in pre-season briefings with the players, that if a goalkeeper is impeded by an opponent grabbing or holding their arms and therefore they can’t do their job, they’ll be penalised.
“We’re not just talking about contact with goalkeepers, we’re talking about a specific type of contact when the goalkeeper’s arms or hands are being interfered with, stopping them doing their job.
“So, when you see the best angle on this, you’ll see that that’s what happens from Pablo. And on the video, it’s clear and it’s obvious and it happens early.
“Even though it’s not clear and obvious to the referee, because he’s got a huge group of players in the penalty area, and it’s difficult to see, when the VAR sees this, they have to get involved.
“But what we also hear is the VAR doing is going through everything else because he wants to make sure that this is the only clear and obvious offence that needs intervening upon.
“Raya can’t do what he would normally do in that situation, simply catch the ball or punch the ball, and they intervene and they come to the right decision.”
Glossary of terms
VAR: Video Assistant Referee; AVAR: Assistant Video Assistant Referee; RO: replay operator; APP: attacking phase of play.
UK users can watch the whole “Match Officials Mic’d Up” video on Sky Sports and TNT Sports. International users can access the full video with their local rights-holder.
Also in this series
