Premier League officiating chief Howard Webb has publicly defended the controversial Video Assistant Referee intervention that awarded Leeds United a pivotal penalty in their 3-3 draw with Liverpool at Elland Road.
The Controversial Elland Road Flashpoint
The match's major talking point arrived with Liverpool holding a commanding two-goal advantage. As the ball ran towards the byline, Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate lunged into a challenge on Leeds forward Wilfried Gnonto.
On-field referee Anthony Taylor initially allowed play to continue, seemingly judging the ball to have gone out of play. However, he was instructed to review the incident at the pitchside monitor by the VAR official.
After reviewing the footage, Taylor reversed his decision, pointing to the penalty spot. Dominic Calvert-Lewin stepped up to convert the spot-kick, sparking a dramatic Leeds fightback in the match on 17 December 2025.
Webb's Verdict on 'Clear and Obvious' Error
Addressing the incident on the television programme Match Officials Mic'd Up, PGMOL chief Howard Webb gave a detailed breakdown supporting the VAR's intervention.
"When I look at the video, for me, it's a clear penalty," Webb stated. "What's really important here is that when the contact is made by Konate on Gnonto, Konate doesn't play the ball, he makes the contact, he takes Gnonto down."
Webb emphasised the crucial technical detail: "Really importantly on this is the ball is still in play at that moment. And you'll hear on the comms, Anthony Taylor the referee, saying the ball is already out of play... Because if the ball is out of play when that contact happens, it can't be a penalty kick."
He explained that the VAR technology allowed officials to "slow it right down, break it down and see, when does the contact happen? How does that relate to where the ball was at that time? It was still in play, it's a clear foul, and therefore the intervention by the VAR in this situation is a good one."
Webb concluded that the process "demonstrates the real value of having VAR to rectify what was a clear and obvious error made on the field."
Slot's Disagreement and Liverpool's Costly Collapse
Despite Webb's firm backing of the decision, Liverpool manager Arne Slot expressed a contrasting view in his post-match press conference.
"A VAR intervention that leads to a penalty," Slot said. "I think the ball is already out, there was contact, so he gave a penalty."
The penalty proved to be a catalyst for a stunning Leeds comeback. Although Dominik Szoboszlai later restored Liverpool's lead, a late equaliser from Ao Tanaka secured a point for the home side.
The result highlighted a concerning trend for Slot's reigning champions, who have repeatedly surrendered strong positions away from home this season. The frustration was compounded by a post-match outburst from star forward Mohamed Salah, adding to the mounting tension at Anfield.
While the correct technical outcome may have been reached according to the officials, the debate around the application of the "clear and obvious" threshold for VAR interventions is certain to continue amongst fans and pundits alike.
