Referee chief Howard Webb lauds use of VAR for 'full-on' red card incident in Leeds United clash

The pilot episode of Match Officials Mic’d Up was screened by BT Sport on Monday evening, with referees' chief Howard Webb joining ex-England striker Michael Owen to discuss a number of recent officiating decisions.

In-game audio was released by Professional Game Match Officials Limited [PGMOL] from six matches this season, allowing supporters to hear the discussions between match officials and VAR, with Webb then offering his opinion.

One of the incidents that formed part of a discussion on subjectivity and VAR's ability to review and correct on-field decisions was the red card for Jonny Otto of Wolves during Leeds' visit to Molineux in March. Leeds were 3-2 up and coming under pressure, having let slip a three-goal lead.

Otto was given an 84th-minute yellow card by referee Michael Salisbury for a challenge that left Ayling holding his shin on the turf. VAR for the match, David Coote, and his assistant Lee Betts then began to take a look at the tackle due to its forceful nature.

Using a number of camera angles and a 'super slow-mo' Coote was able to see that Otta had gone over the ball and connected forcefully with Ayling above his ankle. Coote then recommended that Salisbury take another look at the incident on his pitch-side monitor, with the eventual outcome of a red card for Otto.

Webb held the incident up as an example of when VAR should intervene and help an on-field official to reach a correct decision, because the tackle entered the threshold of endangering a player's safety.

"This one is a good use of VAR," said Webb

"Of course tackles are happening all the time on the field, some contact is happening and it's the job of the official on the field primarily, but then the VAR as well, to determine whether or not the tackle that's made, the foul that is made, endangers the safety of the opponent or has excessive force. It takes a judgement.

"But we're looking at things like full contact from the studs, we're looking for the point of contact, ie. above the ankle like we saw in this case. If foot-on-foot contact happens it's generally deemed to be a reckless tackle but it's not endangering the safety of the opponent. But when you see this type of full contact, not a glancing one, something much more full-on like this one from Johnny Otto, it gets you into that excessive force, endangering the safety of an opponent sort of place. And that's when we expect the VAR to get involved."

Webb, who also appeared on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football to be grilled by Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher on VAR and the release of audio, wants video referees to hone in specifically on challenges like Otto's so they do not create ambiguity over the type of tackle that should prompt their involvement.

"We want to be consistent in application," he said.

"So you'll see situations that are more glancing, that are less forceful than this one, where VAR will not get involved. We don't want inconsistency in application of VAR. We want them to look for these really clear ones, as this one is, so that people understand when VAR will and won't step in."

Ayling was able to continue and Leeds went on to score a fourth goal, which was controversial in itself, to take three points in a rare away win.